Constant Cab Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Constant Cabernet Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Friday night dinner at Angelis, our favorite neighborhood trattoria featured two BYOB selections from our cellars. Bill and Beth brought a Constant Diamond Mountain Cabernet Franc and I brought a Eileen Hardy Shiraz. A contrast in styles and states of two upscale labels at two stages of their aging window.

The four of us with J&B and Freddie Constant

While different in style, both wines complemented perfectly my pasta with hearty bolognese sauce and italian sausage. 

We visited the spectacular picturesque Constant Vineyards estate high atop Diamond Mountain during our Diamond Mountain Appellation Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2011.

Sadly, Freddie Constant passed away earlier this year so we toasted a tribute to the colorful memorable producer.

Constant Diamond Mountain Estate Vineyards

The Constant estate sits at the peak of Diamond Mountain in the Mayacamas Range that separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Constant is the highest and perhaps oldest winery in the region and is the only vineyard that spans both Napa and Sonoma faces.

The Diamond Mountain District appellation, one of the smaller Napa wine districts, sits just south of and above the town of Calistoga in the northwest corner of Napa Valley. The sun drenched slopes with their rocky terrain and volcanic soil produce rich concentrated Bordeaux varietal fruit and are home to some of the most notable and prestigious labels including the namesake label Diamond Mountain vineyards. Our afternoon on the mountaintop retreat was one of the more memorable settings from our many Napa Valley trips.

Constant Diamond Mountain Winery Diamond Mountain District Estate Cabernet Franc 2007

Bright dark ruby/purple colored, medium to full bodied, this was bright vibrant full forward black berry and currant fruit with a bold punch of sweet almost cinnamon spice accented by tones of mocha chocolate, soft sweet oak with dusty lush pleasing tongue coating lingering tannins.

RM 93 points. 

Bill's notes from Cellartacker - "Deep purple color. Light nose of fig and light floral aromas belie a wonderfully flavored Cab Franc. Opens with a bit of sweetness on the front palate, cocoa on the mid palate, silky tannins and a long lingering finish highlighted by cassis and a touch of oak. A wonderful accompaniment to smoky, bacon infused chowder and prosciutto wrapped, stuffed chicken breast in a sweet and spicy pepper sauce.

WCC 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=694548

http://www.constantwine.com/


Hardys "Eileen Hardy" McLaren Vale-Padthaway-Clare South Australia Shiraz 1999


This is literally the signature wine of the legendary historic Hardy brand, bearing the mark of Eileen Hardy, the matriarch of the house of Hardy. The best shiraz from each vintage is released under the Eileen Hardy label.

Hardy have been producing wine in the region since Thomas Hardy purchased the Tintara vineyards and winery in McLaren Vale back in the 1870's. Thomas Hardy wines were the first Australian wines to be awarded prestigious Gold medals at the International Wine Shows in Bordeaux in 1882 and in Paris in 1889.

Tom Mayfield Hardy, Thomas Hardy’s grandson, continued the family business in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. When he was tragically killed in a plane crash, his wife, Eileen Hardy, and his cousin, Kenneth Hardy, took over the business. Thomas Walter Hardy, Tom and Eileen Hardy’s eldest son, becomes the fourth generation of the Hardy family to enter the family business. 

To celebrate the 80th birthday of the iconic matriarch, Eileen Hardy, her children created this Eileen Hardy Shiraz label as its flagship shiraz containing the best from each vintage.

I don't know if it was the contrast in style, indication of the vintage, or just a closed period in the aging of this wine, but the Hardy's Eileen Hardy Shiraz was overshadowed by the bold bright vibrant Constant Cab Franc. The metaphor I often use to describe such a contrast is one is a foot wide and four inches deep (Hardy), while the other (Constant) is four inches wide and a foot deep!

The Hardy came across more like a Cabernet than a Shiraz, with its firm complexity, while the Constant was true to the profile of Cabernet Franc, spicy, and bold, showing why it is used as a blending wine to brighten and accent the Bordeaux Blend. At this stage, tonight, this vintage didn't live up to the hype of the label.

Dark garnet colored and medium bodied, the 1999 Hardy showed complex black cherry and black berry fruits accented by spice, earthy leather with hints of tar, cedar, anise and oak with fine grained subtle tannins on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=12189

http://hardyswines.com/us/

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Shiraz 1997

Rosemount Estate McLaren Vale Balmoral Syrah 1997

We still hold several cases (six packs) of this wine from the nineties and early millennium across nine different vintages. It's hard to believe it has been a year and a half since we last opened one of these bottles from that era ... So many wines, so little time!

As I wrote at that time,  "its time to drink up as this '97 is showing its age as the fruit starts to diminish somewhat. Looking at Cellartracker tasting notes, one writer reports this vintage still holding on while another says his is over the hill. While past its prime, this was still very much still inside the drinking window."

At this point I would say its reaching the last chapter of its drinking window. 


Dark purple colour, full aroma of perfume and fruit - the diminution of fruit continues as this wine is showing its age further with ripe concentrated plum and blackberry and black cherry fruits hanging on but giving way to ripe raisin fig tones accented by leather and wet cedar with a touch of vanilla and sweet cherry - tightly wound with a tinge of tight tannins and acid on the long fruit-filled finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17074

Killikanoon Clare Valley Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Killikanoon Clare Valley Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

I pulled this from the cellar for dinner thinking it was a Shiraz but realized it was a cab when I was trying to characterize its taste profile of firm, smoky berry fruits with firm tannin finish.

This was unbelievably delicious with Dove cherries dipped in dark chocolate. Better than the pairing with spaghetti and tomato meat sauce.

Inky black color with a dark garnet rim, medium to full bodied, firm vibrant bright complex brambly fruits of black cherry, blackberry and tones of smoky blackberry, hints of dark mocha chocolate, blueberry, vanilla and a layer of cedar on the long lingering floral and tangy dark cherry finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=447123

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

Northstar Columbia Valley Merlot 2003

Northstar Columbia Valley Washington Merlot 2003

We've  been collecting this label since the early nineties and keep a half dozen or so vintages spanning a decade in the cellar. For Sunday dinner, Linda prepared spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and meat balls, so I pulled the oldest vintage for which I had no published tasting note. Immediately upon opening the room filled with bright berry fruit aromas.

Dark purple/garnet plum colored, bright and vibrant, medium bodied, nicely balanced complex black cherry, accents of blackberry and black raspberry fruits, an initial touch of ripe fig gives way to tones of tobacco with hints of graphite, leather, spice and cedar on a long lingering modest soft tannin finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=224608

https://www.northstarwinery.com/

Bogle Zinfandel Blends for Bar-B-Q

Bogle Zinfandel Blends for Bar-B-Q Dinner

For son Ryan's birthday we ordered bar-b-q from Q Bar-b-q in Naperville - slabs of ribs and pulled pork. We prepared our own sides, mac and cheese, corn, and brussel sprouts in a cranberry sauce. To compliment the meal we pulled from the cellar two Bogle Zinfandels - Phantom and Essential Red. Zinfandel was the perfect compliment to the tangy, sweet and spicy bar-b-q variations.

Bogle Vineyards "Phantom" Red Wine Blend 2009 

We rediscovered this wine a couple years ago at the Saturday afternoon tasting at Main Street Liquors in Lagrange, IL. They were serving it because it was the highlight of an earlier tasting they conducted. I was looking for a Zinfandel or Rhone style blend for our Thanksgiving dinner at the time and picked this up. Its always good to have a few Zins in the cellar for bar-b-q. This is a unique blend of Zinfandel and Rhone varietals sourced from the California central valley and Sierra foothills - 52% Zinfandel from Lodi, 46% Petite Sirah from Clarksburg, and 2% Mourvedre from Amador County. This is a lot of wine for the money rendering a high QPR - Quality to Price Ratio for this wine that is available between $15 and $20.

This is dark garnet colored, full-bodied mid palate with a firm finish, the winemaker's notes say this wine showcases the best of these three unique varietals. While it lacks the backbone and tannic structure of a Cabernet, that is why it is approachable easy drinking and suitable for a Thanksgiving dinner offering with Turkey, dressing and so on.

This was complex cacophony of full forward fruits of blackberry, black raspberry and briary boysenberries giving way to layers of black licorice, tones of creosote, black pepper and hints of dark chocolate, juniper and cedar on the finish. It needs a big food to balance its bold forward fruits and lively acidity.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1288036


http://www.boglewinery.com/

Bogle 'Essential Red' Zinfandel Blend 2012

A blend of Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, this wine would be a great blind tasting candidate with its bright, lively forward complex fruits.Dark purple/garnet colored, the fruits are vibrant but nicely balanced, smooth and approachable. I felt the polish and approachability of this wine actually overshadowed the bigger, more complex more expensive Phantom. 

Ripe intense flavors of boysenberries, cherry and black raspberry, with tones of vanilla and mocha, black licorice and spicy pipe tobacco on the moderate oaky tannin finish. This is currently widely available at under $14 and offers fabulous QPR - Quality-to-Price-Ratio. Go out and pick up a bunch for beef, bar-b-que, pasta and pizza. While it has forward fruits, it has a nice polish and balance suitable for many combinations. Great for every day drinking.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1811326

http://www.boglewinery.com/moments/#

Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Wine 2002

Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Wine 2002

I remember first being introduced to this wine by a wine broker from whom I bought several bottles. I later bought more of different vintages at auction which was the source of this bottle. For a grilled steak dinner at home, I searched the cellar and found multiple bottles of this vintage label so I pulled it for dinner.

This was ideal for our grilled steak dinner and the best from this label that I can remember. At twelve years of age, this Bordeaux Blend may be at the apex of its drinking window. It was the best I remember and a thoroughly enjoyable bottle of which I wish I had more.

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, it tasted like a vibrant expressive Bordeaux, full forward complex berry fruits accented by floral, leather, tobacco leaf, with slightly earthy tones and long lingering tones of cedar with a smooth polished tannin finish that resonates with silky floral cedar mouthfeel long after tasting. This was better than I remember from earlier label and vintage tastings.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=67963

Pollak Vineyards Monticello Meritage 2010

Pollak Vineyards Virginia Monticello Meritage 2010

We tasted this bottle with friends and Eric and Cathy who sourced it at the winery during a family getaway to the Monticello Wine Trail in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Ironically, I just blogged about Meritage this weekend - a blend of Bordeaux varietals sourced from a new world location, and find it interesting to see one from Virginia. Going all the way back to Thomas Jefferson, who was a huge fan of Bordeaux, he tried to develop Bordeaux varietals in Virginia, even to the extend of bringing vine cuttings from France to his Monticello estate.

We visited the Virginia wine country a couple years ago when I kept a second residence in Washington DC during the week to support my work there. We visited the western reaches beyond Fairfax, but didn't get down to the Central Virginia region. Even then, we found Cabernet Franc to be the highest achieving Bordeaux varietal in our tastings, which is the core of this selection.

Pollak Vineyards is a family-owned winery in central Virginia west of Charlottesville and Crozet in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their 98-acre farm has 27 acres planted in French vinifera from which they strive to produce estate grown wines that represent the authentic characteristics of the traditional French varietals.

The property was acquired in 2003 by current owners Margo and David Pollak. Previously, David was involved in vineyards in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California, followed by the establishment of one of the first wineries in the now famous Carneros region down at the southern tip of  Napa Valley where it meets Sonoma Valley. In Virginia, the Pollaks hope to produce great wines using best practices and lessons learned to realize the potential of what they believe is an ideal site.

The 2010 Meritage is a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot in the Bordeaux style. It dark purple colored, medium bodied with moderate acidity, it shows cherry and currant fruits accented by tones of leather, subtle spice, earth and tobacco, with modest tannins. The fruits are slightly austere perhaps revealing the character of the Virginia soil and terroir. Time will tell how this wine settles and perhaps achieves more balance and approachability with a little bit of aging.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1617331

http://www.pollakvineyards.com

Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Bottling Highlights Steak Dinner

Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Bottling Highlights Steak Dinner 

L and I planned to go out for lunch and do some shopping and ended up at a local wine shop where we picked up a few more bottles of the Caymus 40th Anniversary Special bottle. So we decided to go back home and prepare a special dinner to accompany the wine. Linda prepared pan seared tuna on a bed of cabbage, peas and red wine raspberry vinaigrette, followed by grilled New York Strip steaks, grilled onions and baked potatoes. I scoured the cellar for a suitable special bottle for dinner and stayed with the Caymus. Afterwards she prepared ice cream sundaes with roasted walnuts and chocolate sauce, another spectacular accompaniment to the delicious Caymus.

This is an amazing wine. As I've written here several times, the 2012 vintage of Caymus Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is spectacular and was a perfect compliment to our beef steak dinner with dark chocolate dessert. Not only did they release a blockbuster for the vintage, they packaged it in a celebratory bottle and commemorative label, and then they lowered the price! A wine that typically sells at the street price of $65, this has been widely available at ten dollars off the regular price or $55. For drinking now or saving for a couple years, this is a must buy for the price point, and for special occasions or anniversary celebration dinners. And for better value, they also offer a one liter bottle. This is a showcase wine that shows Napa Valley Cabernet at its best.

Caymus Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 - Special 40th Anniversary Bottling

As featured in my recent earlier blog journal tasting reports on this wine, this is the 40th release of this legendary label and it features a special 40th Anniversary release label for the occasion. The 2012 vintage release also  shows the classic characteristics of Caymus Estate Cabernet at its best - early approachability and drinkability as a young wine.

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

RM 94 points.

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

http://www.caymus.com

Hahn Central Coast Meritage 2006

Hahn Central Coast Meritage 2006

I was recommending this as a special best buy back at the time, a complex full bodied fruit forward Meritage for under $20, a rare find indeed. Interestingly, they released it as a Meritage as opposed to a Cabernet or simply Red Wine. The reason this is notable and unique is that as I understand it, the term Meritage, is trademarked by the Meritage Alliance, a consortium of over 350 producers, and hence subject to licensing.

Meritage, oft mispronounced, rhymes with hermitage, and does not carry the 'ahh with a soft 'j''. Meritage is the term applied to a Bordeaux Blend, the combination of Bordeaux varietal grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon and or Merlot predominating with highlights of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot or some other lesser varietals in the blend. But, of course, only wines produced in the French Bordeaux region can carry the Bordeaux moniker, hence Meritage was coined for such wines produced in America (or elsewhere). And to maintain the exclusivity or distinction, the term is only available for use under license. Hence its rare to find a label at this price point since it doesn't allow the margin to carry the additional burden of the license fee. Indeed, even many high priced American Bordeaux Blends avoid the license fee and label their wines as simple 'Red Wine' or 'Red Wine Blend'. Some producers will use the historic term 'Claret' that dates back to the 1700's, the name used by the British for red wines from the Bordeaux region of France, or wines in the Bordeaux style.

According to the Meritage Alliance, "Meritage, pronounced like heritage, first appeared in the late 1980s after a group of American vintners joined forces to create a name for New World wines blended in the tradition of Bordeaux. In wine terms, the traditional historic wine regions such as Italy, France and Portugal, where they've been cultivating varietal grapes and crafting wines for centuries, are referred as the 'Old World', while the 'New World' refers to regions that have started and popularized the practice in the twentieth century, such as America, Australia, South Africa and South America.

The word Meritage was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest. Meritage combines "merit," reflecting the quality of the grapes, with "heritage," which recognizes the centuries-old tradition of blending, long considered to be the highest form of the winemaker's art.

Meritage wines are growing in popularity and are currently the second fastest growing wine category in the industry. They are highly regarded for their aging potential, yet are completely approachable in their youth.
Many Meritage wines have proprietary names in addition to, or rather than, Meritage. In order to obtain a license and use the term Meritage on a label, a wine must meet certain criteria."

According to the Meritage Alliance in reference to the official designation, "A Red Meritage is a blend of two or more of the red "noble" Bordeaux varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and the rarer St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenère. If the blend includes any other grape variety, it is, by definition, not a Meritage. Also, to qualify as a Meritage, no single grape variety can make up more than 90% of the blend."

We bought a lot of this 2006 vintage release at the time and enjoyed it as our every day drinking red wine. Several friends adopted this wine as well. This is the last remaining bottle from that era and as such it was time to drink, showing its age and clearly being at the mature end of its drinking window. Still it was good tonight with pizza.

Hahn Central Coast Meritage 2006

Hahn Family wines produce a wide range of wines. Hahn is the German term for Rooster which adorns the label, named after the proprieter's ancestry. This is a high QPR - quality price ratio red wine blend of Bordeaux varietal grapes. Showing its age, the dark berry fruit is showing at over ripe with taste of raisins with hints of tobacco and leather as the fruit starts to subside. Still dark blackish purple, medium to full bodied with hints of oak, its time to drink up.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=462555

http://www.hahnwinery.com/

Sterling Three Palms Merlot with Rib-eye Steak

Sterling Vineyards 'Three Palms' Merlot Compliments Rib-eye Steak 

The fifteen year old single vineyard designated Napa Merlot I took BYOB to dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria, was the perfect pairing with the dinner special, boneless rib-eye in a red wine reduction with rosemary sauce with roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus. Linda had the other dinner special, sea scallops.

Sterling Vineyards was one of the first large commercial wineries in Napa Valley, formed in 1964. We visited Sterling Winery, up in north Napa Valley on the main trail just south of Calistoga, with its amusement park aerial tram that takes visitors up to the visitors center, on our first trip to Napa Valley back in the early eighties.

We're big fans of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, our favorite wine, but we have always associated Sterling with the other Bordeaux varietal, Merlot.

Sterling released the first vintage dated Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux varietals in 1969. Previously, Merlot was primarily considered a blending wine. The first Three Palms Vineyard single vineyard designated select Merlot was released in 1985.

At fifteen years of age, this was still vibrant and expressive, most likely at the apex of its drinking window, but certainly not likely to improve from further aging.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, complex but well balanced, intense firm core of plum and black cherry, with tones of toasty oak and spice, hints of cedar and vanilla yielding to firm tannins on the tangy spicy finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=72207

http://www.sterlingvineyards.com

http://www.angeliscatering.com/

Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé with Hemingway's Oak Park French Fare

Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé with Hemingway's Oak Park French Fare

For a dinner outing with friends Bob & Gloria we introduced them to Hemingway's Bistro in Oak Park for French influenced fare. I took along a CDP and a Bordeaux from which to choose to accompany my entree selection.

Bob and Linda chose the Halibut special with a roasted red pepper sauce while Gloria chose the Sea Scallops, all served on a bed a risotto, so we selected a Sancerre Domaine Villaudiere from the wine-list for them.

I chose the New York strip au Poivre with cream spinach and pomme au gratin and had them open my Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé which I brought BYOB.

For starters, we had the Butternut Squash Bisque, French Onion soup, and I enjoyed the Trio Beet Salad and the superb Foie Gras du jour with raspberry coulee which was a perfect pairing with the La Couspaude.

Hemingway's atmosphere is very cordial and relaxing, the service attentive and professional making for an enjoyable dining experience. Its has the elegance of causal fine dining, is easy to access, just off the Ike midway between the city and the western suburbs, and lacks the crowds, bustle, noise and hassles of parking. And being close to the Frank Lloyd Wright 'district' allows for some historic architectural sight-seeing enroute or afterwards.

Domaine de la Villaudière Sancerre 2011

Straw colored, light bodied, bright, crisp, clean with high acidity, aromas and flavors of green apples predominate with tones of wet limestone, chalk and minerality and hint of citrus.

RM 87 points.

http://www.sancerre-lavillaudiere.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1346511 








Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2005

This is the flagship wine of the Aubert Family portfolio who have been producers in the St. Emilion appellation for almost two centuries. The family operation consists of three Aubert brothers, Alain, Daniel and Jean-Claude, along with their children, Vanessa, Heloïse and Yohann. The family operates several estates spread along the Right Bank in Bordeaux from St. Emilion all the way up to Cotes de Castillon.

The Chateau La Couspaude 7 hectare (14 acre) property with its unique terroir sitting on the limestone plateau on the outskirts of the village of Saint-Emilion is planted in 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The vineyard has been in place for close to 300 years! Today, the vines are planted to a density of 6,500 vines per hectare with the average age of the vines is about thirty years.

They family has worked to upgrade the property over the last several decades and Chateau La Couspaude was promoted to Grand Cru Classé distinction in the new classification of wines of Saint-Emilion in 1996.

Traditionally, the wines tended to show much new oak in the style their Bordeaux wine. Starting with 2006, the Aubert’s reduced the amount of new oak, changed the type of oak and further reduced the amount of oak in the 2011 vintage which allows the wine of La Couspaude to express more complexities. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new 100% new, French oak barrels. the wine is aged in 100% new, French oak barrels for between 18 and 20 months.

Today, Chateau La Couspaude is known for fleshy, flashy, low acid, sensuous, but oaky, early drinking style of St. Emilion wine. Production of Chateau La Couspaude ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 cases at the St. Emilion estate per vintage. They also produce a second wine, Junior de la Couspaude.

The  Château La Couspaude St Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2005 exhibits dark inky blackish garnet/purple with medium to full body. The firm, rather tight complex concentrated black berry fruits are over taken by mouthful of tea, tobacco, kirsch, tones of pain grille, smoky creosote and hints of sweet oak/spice notes with lingering big but fine tannins. This was a perfect complement to the grilled New York Steak as well as the foie gras. 

 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=235727

http://www.aubert-vignobles.com/lacouspaude.php?specid=1&langid=2#!home-english/c1l8o

http://www.hemmingwaysbistro.com/ 

K Vintners River Rock Walla Walla Valley Syrah 2011

K Vintners River Rock Walla Walla Valley Syrah 2011

The inaugural release of this single vineyard Syrah from Rock River Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley from the team of legendary Charles Smith, teamed up with Andrew Latta and Brennon Leighton.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium to full bodied, opens with forward firm tannins and earthy smoky cedar/camphor tones with a layer of leather predominating over the complex blackish fruits, with a full forest floral and subtle tone of white pepper that fills the mouth and lingers for a long finish. 

RM 88 points.

Robert Parker gave this a 95 while WS gave it a 93.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1818454

http://www.kvintners.com/

B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

B Side wines are the product of Don Sebastiani & Sons, that claims it's heritage as part of the Sonoma Winemaking Family that dates back to 1904. Fourth generation producer Donny Sebastiani is the great–grandson of Samuele, the Sebastiani patriarch. In 2001, Don Sebastiani and his two sons, Donny and August, established Don Sebastiani & Sons, with a goal of building a new wine company in the negociant style of the early Sebastiani winemakers.

They source grapes from vineyards all over California’s appellations and beyond, claiming this enables them to be free to explore the best quality fruit that each vintage has to offer. As I've written here time and again over the last year, the negociant supply model provides the opportunity for imaginative, high QPR wines. But on the flipside, (no pun intended here), since they don't own or control the source of the fruit, they can be prone to 'one-hit wonders' (pun intended) with a blockbuster release one year, but when its gone it may be done, with no chance for a repeat. Since the wine could be sourced from different places each year, it's potentially the opposite of terroir, the association of wine to a particular place, and all the elements of soil, micro-climate, elevation, sun exposure and so on that give that site an identity reflected in its produce.

I've written much about branding here recently. The branding concept here is based on the old vinyl records that were the means to release and distribute music from the early 1950s through the '70's. Popular records were the two-sided '45'. The "A" side contained the featured hit song of the release, while the "B" side was sometimes 'filler', or an additional release to fill out the record. But once in a while, the 'B' side was as much a hit as the leader, often the real find, frequently revealing an undiscovered gem.

B Side wines play on this metaphor or concept and likens the A Side to the  A-list world of Napa Valley wines from the prominent prestigious properties on main street Napa Valley, along mainstream Highway 29 and Silverado Trail. B Side writes, "Hailing from Napa's "flip" side, B Side reds are crafted with grapes sourced from the slightly-off-the-beaten-track vineyards along the valley's eastern hillsides. They're authentic originals: a little experimental and unexpected, crafted and perfected behind-the-scenes for those with a penchant for discovery."

"The grapes comprising our two B Side offerings come from the "flip" side of Napa: vineyards tucked into the benchlands, slopes and hillsides of eastern Napa Valley near the scenic Silverado Trail."

They claim the majority of this blend comes from "selected vineyards in Oak Knoll, Calistoga and Yountville. Due to the warmer weather in Calistoga and Yountville, the fruit picked here adds impressive depth and flavors to the wine. The Oak Knoll district is ideally situated near Los Carneros, allowing for early morning fog, cool nights and extended hang time, all of which play a major role in developing smoothness and concentrated color. The vines are nearing 20 years of age in most of these blocks and have provided for a near perfect harvest of Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon this vintage."

Therein lies the negociant's challenge. Do they have rights to the follow on vintage (s) of this wine? Can we expect a release next year? Or is this a one hit wonder? And when will we know? So don't get too invested in this and treat as a single release, and stay tuned for what happens next. In fairness, this is their third release of B Side Napa Cab, but its not clear if they're all from the same source, or not. In any event, enjoy a good value, high QPR interesting release Napa cab while it lasts.

This B-Side Cellars Cabernet  contains 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot to round out the blend to add complexity and aromatic intrigue. The wine was aged in 80% French oak for 14 months before bottling.

From the winery: "Our beautifully crafted 2012 B Side Cabernet Sauvignon is pure, rich and deep, featuring aromas of blackberry, sweet tobacco leaf and notes of warm caramel. This wine is marked by a distinctively complex and subtle mix of black currant, toasted almond and anise, with a supple core of cherry and dark chocolate flavors. Full-bodied and mouth filling, the wine shows tremendous dimension with a seamless finish that lingers throughout the palate." They say this 2012 bottling has yet to be professionally reviewed, but the 2011 vintage garnered 90 points and an "Editors' Choice" designation by Wine Enthusiast.

The flagship B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is dark inky garnet colored, full-bodied with black berry and black raspberry fruit flavors with tones of graphite and tobacco with a hint of mocha on a finish of moderate lingering tannins.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1793906

http://bsidewines.com/

Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel Red Blend 2012

Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel Red Blend 2012

While we don't drink a lot Zinfandel, its a must have in every cellar for every day pizza wine as well as for occasions of hearty pasta or Bar-B-Q. It's also a bold expressive fruit filled wine that will appeal to and resonate with novice or less sophisticated wine drinkers. Also, Zinfandels typically offer early gratification and are ready to drink upon or soon after release. While some are ageworthy, they typically can be consumed when young and don't need aging to evolve and reveal their greatness or true character potential. Lastly, Zinfandel tends to offer perhaps the most bang for the buck or QPR - Quality-to-Price ratios than most other American varietals. I say American varietals because Zinfandel is perhaps more indigenous to American than perhaps any other grape.

Only recently with the emergence of and maturation of the development of South American wines from Chile and Argentina made from Malbec, and more recently from Bordeaux varietals, has there such a range of moderate priced big reds for every day drinking, a place long held by Zinfandel.

But, not all Zinfandels are simple and unsophisticated. A few producers specialize in Zins and have made them an artform in their own right. Ridge is probably the best known and most widely distributed of the Zin zealots. This Lytton Springs release, while marketed as a Zinfandel, is actually a complex blend of Rhone and South American varietals.

Ridge is one of the more prolific Zinfandel producers with a portfolio of almost a dozen premium, single vineyard designated and imaginative Zinfandel based blends that date back to 1964 when they released their first Zin. The history of Ridge Vineyards actually dates back before the turn of the last century, in 1885, when Osea Perrone, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge down in the southern range of Santa Cruz Mountains that separate south San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean at the top of Monterey Bay,  producing the first vintage under that name in 1892.

The first Zinfandel was made in 1964, followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville Zinfandel. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper came on as winemaker. Today, Zinfandel and Cabernet account for most of the production with lesser quantities of Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah used primarily as part of the blends.

The first release of Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel from the property in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, was released in 1972. The property lies just north of Healdsburg on the benchland that separates Dry Creek from Alexander Valley. The Zinfandel vines at Lytton Springs date back 100 plus-years and are interplanted with Petite Sirah, Carignane, a small amount of Mataro (aka Mourvèdre), and Grenache for blending. Hence Ridge Lytton Springs is a complex blend with the prime core being Zinfandel.

The 2012 release of Ridge Lytton Springs is a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane, and 3% Mataro or Mourvèdre. 

Like many big Zinfandels, this begs for being consumed with food. Dark blackish purple colored, full bodied, it exudes complex dense black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of vanilla, bramble, anise, black olive, green pepper and spice with moderate lingering tannins.

RM 90 points. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1873710

http://www.ridgewine.com/

Lidio Carraro Grande Vindima Quorum 2006

Lidio Carraro Grande Vindima Quorum 2006

An interesting selection By-the-Glass at DOC in Yorktown, Lombard. From the Vale dos Vinhedos region in Brazil, the first recognized and certified Brazilian wine region with Geographical Indication or what we would call AVA in America.

Lidio Carraro Vineyards is one of the oldest and most established producers in the region, descendants of Italian immigrants from the Italian Veneto wine growing region who first settled in Brazil in 1875.

Since the ‘70s, Lidio Carraro has been a pioneer grower in the Serra Gaucha region, focusing on developing the French Bordeaux varietals with emphasis on Merlot, crafting the ideal clones best suited to the terroir - climate, soil, to produce the best wines achievable from the area.

In 2001, the Lidio Carraro family acquired 200 acres in Encruzilhada do Sul in the southeast region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul which has emerged as the most recognized and prestigious wine region in Brazil. The first vintage harvest was in 2002 with the first label released to market in 2004 and its first exports were in 2005.

Grande Vindima could be translated as Great Classic. It is a premium label in the broad portfolio range from Lidio Carraro winery. They say, "It has Lidio Carraro family tradition of viticulture and passion for wine as inspiration and represents the excellence of a great classic, crafted only in the best years."


The Bordeaux style blend is Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Tannat.


Garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this was bright, vibrant and expressive with forward cherry and black raspberry flavors accented by tones of spice, coffee, hints of anise and cedar finishing with firm tannins.

RM 87 points.

http://www.lidiocarraro.com/en/inicio

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1281304

Black Diamond Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2011

Black Diamond Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2011 

We had this wine with fruits, cheese and chocolates watching a Netflix feature. The next day, we enjoyed it will grilled steak Sunday dinner. 

I wrote in this blog back in March about how difficult it is to find a high QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Pinot Noir under $20. Called the 'heartbreak grape' (see my review of The Heartbreak Grape,  A California Winemakers Search for the Perfect Pinot Noir by Marc de Villiers, 1994, Harper Collins)  for its finicky difficulty to cultivate, it took decades for California producers to get this varietal to come around. Here is a rare California Pinot Noir that offers enjoyable sophisticated Pinot Noir at every day prices. I bought some, drank it, bought some more, and I am going back for more. Hopefully my blog post doesn't empty the shelves before I restock.' 

We are still enjoying this wine obtained back then. I feature it again because it is still available in quantity at Binny's the Illinois/Chicagoland mega-merchant, and I am tempted to buy more whilst it is still available. 

As featured earlier, "sourced from fruit from GUADAGNI FAMILY WINES, a small family run business that according  to records is managed by Donald, Joseph, Mary, William and Breanna at their location on Yokim Bridge Road in Healdsburg. They're reported to produce about 1000 cases a year but views of the property show large tracts of young vines and new plantings so we might expect to see much more of them in the coming vintages.'

They say their label name "Black Diamond" refers to the 'boldness and courage' of their wines. 'awe inspiring to look at from the rim and personally satisfying in the finish.... with both strength and elegance' symbolic of Black Diamond wines.

The grapes are selected from the Russian River appellation, renowned specifically for the cool-climate conducive to growing great Pinot Noir. The vineyards for this wine are along the Russian River and within walking distance of the Coastal Mountain Range. Influenced by the marine layer that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean with its moderating effect on morning and later afternoon temperatures, sending cool air through the gorge cut by the river. They cite moderate daytime temperatures as key to retaining the delicate and unique characters of the grapes, while the cool nights encourage the vine to retain acidity through to the harvest. Whatever the cause, the effects are a sophisticated yet pleasant, easy drinking wine that are available at a good value price.

The winemaker's comments sum it up well - "Classic aromas of fresh turned soil, cola, and red cherries. Black raspberry, pink peppercorn spice and caramel add depth. Light in body with creamy, vanilla infused raspberry and baking spice. Balanced, silky tannins for a long smooth finish."

I don't do a lot of Pinot Noir, and admit my 'vocabulary' of wine sensations and ability to articulate such, is not as developed and mature. Hence, I struggle a bit to characterize this wine.  It features a primary predominate flavor. The winemaker calls is cola and red cherries, or Bing cherries. I get the cola but keep coming back to dried cranberries as the lead fruit. In any event, despite being medium light bodied and therefor a bit opaque, it is is dark blackish garnet colored, it exhibits tones of cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and a layer of cedar giving way to a tones of anise and smoky spicy oak on a firm lingering acidic finish.
RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1804396

http://www.western-importers.com/california_wines/blackdiamond.htm

Favorite Aussie Shiraz - Flinders 2005 Aging Gracefully

Favorite Aussie Shiraz - Flinders 2005 Aging Gracefully

I raved about this wine when I discovered it several years ago and have featured it numerous times since in this blog. Like the recent experience where I discovered this wine downstate in a local wineshop, I then found and purchased more on-line. Then I convinced local mega-merchant Binny's to carry obtain some and we cleaned them out too. Happily, we still hold and continue to enjoy this big bold fruit filled Shiraz. Holding more than several bottles into their ninth year, one rightfully wonders how is it aging and how long will it last?

For a quiet causal evening at home, we opened an old favorite, Flinders Run Southern Flinders Ranges Shiraz 2005. Our Cellartracker inventory says we still hold about two cases of this vintage release, with a slightly lesser number of the '06 release remaining. I noted when we were opening this that it came on the scene with these two vintage releases and disappeared, not to be seen again. According to their website, it appears to still be in production, but its not to be found in distribution in Chicagoland, or in the on-line wine community.

Indeed, the Flinders Run website (http://www.flindersrun.com.au/) states, "We knew from the first trials of the 2001 and subsequent 2003 vintages that the Flinders Run wines were going to be something special, but nothing prepared us for the overwhelming success, we would experience with the release of the 2005 Vintage. Subsequent vintages have been crafted in the same careful manner exhibiting a consistency in flavour and style and most importantly capturing the elegance of region climate and above all varietal character."

Of course that 2005 vintage got a raving 95 point review from legendary wine critic Robert Parker. He wrote,"Purple/black in color, the wine exhibits a big, brooding bouquet of pain grille, pepper, Asian spices, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied (15.2% alcohol), super-rich, plush wine with layers of spicy black fruit flavors, excellent balance, and a long, pure finish. For a wine of this size, it is remarkably light on its feet. Give it 2-3 years to more fully evolve and drink it through 2020. This is quite a debut for Flinders Run!"

I must admit, I do not recall knowing about this rating or having read his review. I did know he shared our love of big bold Aussie Shiraz's, even if we did think his enthusiasm was at times 'over the top' and even exceeded ours. That said, I am pleased to see his projected drinking window extending through 2020. That certainly seems to ring true with our experience tonight.

Flinders Run Southern Flinders Ranges Shiraz is the artwork of Emanuel Skorpos whose winemaking heritage goes back many generations to the Greek Island of Samos where his Grandfather Manoli Skorpos and his father attended to the olive grove and vineyard in the rugged mountainous region known as Morteri which they still farm to this day.

In 1991 Emanuel, after travelling to Samos to visit the Family Estate, set out to return to Australia to locate the perfect piece of land in which to establish the vineyard and olive grove in the Skorpos tradition. Emanual has been working in Viticulture/Horticulture  in the Riverland and Southern Flinders Ranges regions in South Australia since then. He worked with Ian Smith, Vineyard Manager and Vitticulturalist for Leasingham wines who identified the Southern Flinders Ranges as one of the best kept secrest in Australia’s wine industry. Emanuel manages the vineyards and olive grove and works closely with the Flinders Run winemaker to produce artisan boutique wines that emeplify the distinct  flavour and personality of the Southern Flinders Ranges. Emanuel’s wife, Laura manages the logistics and operations of winery business.

My recollection of these two vintages was that we liked the 2005 more than the 2006, being more approachable, more polished and balanced, while the '06 was bigger, more brooding and bold, but less polished or in no sense elegant. I selected the '05 tonight, dutifully to work off the older vintage, but also to test my recollection of it being my favored of the two, and to monitor its aging.

While more subdued than the bigger '06, it retains all the nuances and character it exhibited in its youth - nicely balanced, polished, and flavorful. While the fruit is not as big and bold as its follow on vintage, the '05 still holds full, dense, complex layers of blue and black berry fruits, accented by licorice, hints of black pepper, and tones of black tea and what Parker refers to as 'pain grillé' which is the French word for 'toast'.

RM 93 points. 

Our original plan was to grill a beef steak but after the spectacular starter course that Linda prepared, a grilled tuna tartare (above), we enjoyed the rest of the bottle with a selection of cheese and chocolates.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=421985

http://www.flindersrun.com.au/

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 Syrah 2009

Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 Syrah 2009 - A limited offer that continues to please

I wrote in this blog about Ninety Plus Cellars and their negotiant practice of buying excess grapes, bulk wine, or even bottled wine from growers or producers and selling it under their own 'private' label. And I've written several times herein about their Lot 101 Columbia Valley Washington Syrah. The following is an excerpt from an earlier blogpost.

As soon as I tasted this Syrah at the local wine merchant Malloy's store in Naperville, I knew they had a winner, substantiating their claims that they had landed a top rated Syrah and were able to sell it at a deeply discounted price. I probably should have bought as much as I could obtain. Well actually, I did clean them out, and then went back for more when their next shipment arrived the following week. But I did leave some for others. I may regret leaving it behind!

This is a 2009 Columbia Valley, Washington, Syrah that they market under the label Ninety Plus Cellars, Collectors Series, Lot 101. The label specifies simply '250 cases'. Interestingly it doesn't say produced. How many cases were sold under some other, perhaps well known, perhaps higher priced label?


So tonight, Linda and I opened a bottle of this label for a nice casual steak dinner at home. Since she is heading out of town for several days and it was our only evening together, I wanted to enjoy a special bottle, certainly one that I knew we would enjoy.

We opened this special limited offer bottling and enjoyed it immensely, as we have on several other occasions. After enjoying it (again) so much, I went back to the local Malloy's wine shop, not expecting to find this label since I cleaned them out, not once, but twice. Lo and behold, they had several more bottles which I promptly seized (again). The staff there and I both lamented that, no doubt, this will be the 'end' of this wine. Having added more to our holdings, it will extend our enjoyment for some time further.
 Consistent with earlier tasting notes, this was delicious again, only slightly short of a blockbuster high QPR release. 

Dark inky garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this full throttle Syrah reveals layers of blackberry and black currants fruits with tones of sweet vanilla, caramel and spice with hints of black pepper on a lingering smooth silky tannin finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1742790

http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/wines/lot-101-collectors-series-syrah

Conway Family Wines Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Conway Family Wines Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Consider this a Negociant wine since, according to the wine producer, it is sourced from a "number of the finest, well regarded vineyards within Napa AVA’s of Rutherford, Atlas Peak and Pritchard Hill, with each one contributing their unique characteristics to our blend".

According to the producer's release, "the dark fruit notes along with distinctive and pleasant chalky sagebrush notes greet your nose at first. This Cabernet has as plush an entry as we’ve seen in a lot of years. A round, soft, mouth filling wine that shows a smooth backbone of tannins and balanced acidity. The finish wraps up nicely with a lingering reminder of the mature dark fruits, ever so slight a hint of new oak, and the ever present palette of flavors that make Cabernet so sought after!"

This has incredible QPR - quality price ratio, at its price point below $20. The wine producer lists it at $39. 

Opened for casual wine sipping with cheese but its sophisticated enough to be worthy as a perfect compliment to grilled steak dinner. I left half the bottle and it was much better two days later when I took it to Erin and Johnny's for steak dinner.

Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, full fruit forward black raspberry and cherry fruits with a layer of spice and hints of graphite and tea, turning to tones of mocha with nice balance and smooth polished tannin finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1517213

http://www.conwayfamilywines.com/

Cabs Bistro BYOB Wine & Dine Experience

Cabs Bistro BYOB Wine & Dine Experience

We revisited Cab's Bistro and Wine Bar in tony Glen Ellyn, Illinois, for a wine and dine experience. Ownership has changed since the early founding days when the two Dave's combined their wineshop with the adjoining wine bar and bistro. The wineshop is gone, as is the extensive and imaginative award winning winelist, but a new manifestation of Cabs Bistro and Winebar remains, downtown on Main Street just south of the commuter rail-stop.

Looking forward to a wine and dine experience, we took advantage of the BYOB policy and brought a couple of quality sippers. Bill brought from his cellar a Chateau Giscours Margaux 1998. I brought a rare special Premiere Napa bottling of Ladera Two Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon 2000.

Opening with the salad course including the Spinach Pear Walnut Salad with sliced pear, blue cheese, walnuts, raspberry white wine vinaigrette, we selected this Sonoma County blend from the winelist. 

Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma County Mountain Cuvee 2011

We met and had an enjoyable visit with producer Jeff Bundschu back in February 2005 in Chicago at the Silicon Valley Bank hosted wine producer wine tasting and networking event held at the One North Wacker restaurant.

We stopped in at the winery and vineyard during following Sonoma Valley visits. We need to schedule a tour and tasting on an upcoming Sonoma trip.  




This cuvee is a complex blend of 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Zinfandel, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec, sourced primarily from the estate (72%), but including fruit from other local sources.

Not the least bit subtle and lacking polish, this begs for pairing with expressive food, cheese or dark chocolate. Beth liked this a lot. This was garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bold, forward black cherry, plum, and blackberry fruit with tones of smoke, black tea and hints of anise and subtle mocha on a tangy finish.

RM 88 points. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1740457

http://www.gunbun.com/


With our entrees Bill & Beth enjoyed the food and wine pairing that matched the Margaux with the daily special beef bourgnogne with garlic mashed. I had the Seared Maple Leaf Farms Raised Breast of Duck with potato melange, red cabbage and grilled asparagus in a delicious sweet red berry wine sauce that paired perfectly with the Ladera.

Linda enjoyed the Scottish Salmon on wild rice, saying it was as good a Salmon entree as any she remembers.

Afterwards we matched both wines with the creme brulee (on a layer of dark chocolate) and the Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake.

Chateau Giscours Margaux 1998

True to its heritage, the Giscours exhibited classic Bordeaux nuances of floral, subtle earth and leather on a core of black berry fruits - dark inky blackish colored, medium bodied, smooth, polished and complex, turning to a lingering tongue coating powder dry soft silky tannin layer that filled the mouth with a berry-floral tone that lingered for minutes on the finish. No signs of diminution in this sixteen year old.

RM 91 points.

Bill's Cellartracker notes - "Dark inky color. Quite surprising for a 16 year old. Only when side by side with a 2000 Napa Cab did the color difference become evident. Typical Margaux floral nose. Earthy and full of minerals but still surprisingly full of blueberry, plum and cassis. Long, lingering, layered finish that slowly reveals layer after layer."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=30802

Ladera Two Mountains Premiere Napa Valley Lot 64 Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

We've been fans of Ladera since the Montana rancher Stotsmayers took over the classic old stone barn winery and vineyards of Chateau Wolter high up on Howell Mountain back around the Milennium. 

Ladera Winery was one of the highlights of our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Appellation Wine Experience 2008. We then hosted them here during their Chicago visit the next summer.

One of my favorite picturesque Napa Valley screensaver photos is this one of the old winery building set amongst the estate gardens. 

This was a select bottle from a barrel sourced from fruits from Howell Mountain and Mt Veeder that went into a special bottling donated to the Napa Valley Premiere charitable auction by Ladera Vineyards and Winery. The fruit from the 2000 vintage was bottled and auctioned in the 2002 auction, Lot 64.

My wine tasting notes were consistent with earlier posting at http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2013/03/ladera-two-mountains-napa-valley.html.

This wine was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bold, expressive and aromatic with full forward flavors of classic Howell Mountain terroir predominating - black cherry, currant, black berry fruits with a layer of spice, and hints of earth and tea on the finely integrated smooth tannin finish.


Like last week, my preference for the bolder brighter Napa Cab style was favored over the more polished, subdued and civil Bordeaux style.


RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=959982

Clark Claudon Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Clark Claudon Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004


We discovered Tom Clark and Laurie Clark-Claudon shortly after their inaugural release back in the early nineties. We hosted them as a featured wine producer at one our wine dinners back during our Napa Wine Experience 1999. We still hold a vertical collection in our cellar going back to the 1995 vintage. This 2004 release was drinking very nicely a couple years ago, at a young age, somewhat out of character with the normally long lived, slower to emerge, label.

Clark-Claudon typifies the Howell Mountain terroir of its heritage and origins. Their vineyard sits back on the north east side a bit more than half way up Howell Mountain between 800 ft and 1,000 ft elevation. They have 18 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and a bit of Petit Verdot vines, 'carved out', as they say, of their 117 acre hillside property.

The shallow, rocky, mountain soils, consistent sun exposure tempered by the cool evening breezes just about level with the fog line hovering over the valley below provide ideal conditions to produce intense extracted mountain fruit with that ,characteristic Howell Mountain spice and firm solid core of smooth tannins.

We hold several bottles of this vintage in both standard, half bottles and a few magnums. Tonight, I opened a 375 ml half bottle for casual sipping with a steak dinner. I raise this as it seemed to be less vibrant and expressive than earlier experience with this label. I will attribute that to the bottle size rather than the aging of the vintage. Only time, and further tasting experiences will tell if that is the case.
 
Deep dark purple - full bodied - big mouth-full of forward spicy black and edge of red berry fruits, violets, layers of mocha and oak with a long lingering tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=229261

http://www.clarkclaudon.com/

Select California Cab Comparison Tasting

California Select Cabernet Comparison Tasting Showcases Contrasting Styles - Compliments Pot Roast Dinner

For a comparison tasting of three distinctive select California Napa Cabernets, Bill & Beth had me over for a pot roast dinner. I brought a Del Dotto "David" Napa Valley Cabernet based red blend. Bill opened a Quintessa Napa Valley Red 2010, and for a trio comparative tasting, a Cliff Lede Napa Cab 2010. A nice tasting of three select Napa Cabernets representing three different styles, each with a distinctive character and profile.

Del Dotto "The David" Napa Valley Red Wine 2002

Named for proprietor producer David Del Dotto, one could argue that this is the flagship wine of this prolific producer. We acquired this bottle during one of several winery visits during this era. This was an aggressive ambitious offering of a Bordeaux blend with 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Franc. Four hundred cases were produced.

In it's twelfth year, this was still vibrant and lively but will likely not improve further with age. Dark garnet colored, full bodied and bold, the Rutherford fruit shows through as the expressive full forward black berry and black cherry fruits predominate with accents of cassis, spice box and Mayacamas Cedar tones. That Del Dotto craftmanship of layered oak and hints of mocha are apparent on a long soft, plush, layered fine tannin finish.


RM 92 points. Robert Parker gave this 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=74222

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/


Quintessa Napa Valley Red Wine 2010

The 'quint' or five in the name Quintessa reflects both the five hills that make up the diverse estate property in the southeast corner of the Rutherford appellation, as well as the five Bordeaux varietals they grow for this flagship meritage blend wine. The magnificent Quintessa winery along Silverado Trail was one of the first elegant upscale big budget facilities of the modern era which is almost modest by today's standards of opulance. We visited the property back during our Napa Wine Experience 2003. While this is another Rutherford based Bordeaux Blend, it is a contrast in style to the Del Dotto.

The Quintessa estate red blend is very Bordeaux like with its elegant polished finely integrated stylistic blend of the five varietals grown on 170 acres of diverse vineyards in 26 different blocks on the 280 acre Rutherford estate: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. 

Almost subdued in contrast to the bolder more aggressive Cal Cabs, Quintessa is elegant, polished, a symphony of flavors that take time to unfold in the glass, best revealed with an accompaniment of matched food - perfect with the pot roast and roasted carrots. Dark inky color, medium to full bodied, the black berry fruits are refined revealing layers of fruit, graphite, black currant and tones of soft subtle mocha, sweet oak and muted flora with finesse on the smooth silky tannin finish. This will likely evolve to reveal more sophistication and complexity with some age.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1339213

 http://www.quintessa.com/

Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

One of our favorites and mainstays of both Bill's and my cellars, the Cliff Lede Stags Leap property is very near the Quintessa site geographically, but stylistically, the estate Cabernet is more like the Del Dotto David with its bolder, more vibrant forward fruit compared to the Quintessa, but slightly moderate from the more 'over-the-top' Del Dotto. An interesting cross section representing the best of Napa Valley Cabernet.

Bill's notes summed it up well, "Deep indigo color. Complex layered, bright red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry on the palate. Lingering finish with a hint of oak. This is delicious and drinking beautifully right now. Interesting comparison to a 2002 Del Dotto "David". Stylistically very similar profiles. The Lede was almost a lighter "little brother" to the Del Dotto."

Bill gave this 93 points. I gave it 92 as it compared with the other two wines, despite its stylistic difference.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1386511

http://www.cliffledevineyards.com/