Ravines Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2013

Ravines Wine Cellars Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2013

We went out of our way and made a point to stop at Ravines Wine Cellars on the south east shore of Keuka Lake in Central New York's Finger Lakes wine region during our 2012 Finger Lakes Wine Experience.  It was a priority visit for us since its one of the few Finger Lake producers and wines available in Chicagoland.

Ravines Wine Cellars (left) is run by the husband wife team, Morten, viticulturalist and winemaker & Lisa Hallgren, self proclaimed 'foodie'. Morten was raised in Provence region of Southern France where the Hallgren family owned Domaine de Castel Roubine, a 270 acre estate with 170 acres of vineyards and where he spent years in the vineyards learning viticulture - tending to the vines.

After earning an advanced degree in Enology and Viticulture at the renowned winemaking school, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Agronomie in Montpellier, he spent time working at the classic Bordeaux producer, Chateau Cos d’Estournel, under the legendary Bruno Pratts.

He came to America working for a French negociant, then at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina before he was recruited by Willy Frank to be chief winemaker for Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars on the opposite side of Keuka Lake, the early pioneer and most established brand, who is credited with establishing serious wine production in the Finger Lakes region.

After six years at Franks, the Hallgrens purchased the 17 acre Ravines estate in 2000, named for the ravines carved out of the glacier-sculpted hillside on the Eastern slope overlooking Keuka lake (left). They source grapes from three vineyards located on the East side of Seneca Lake.

While they offer a broad line of red and white wines, from many diverse varietals (shown left), like so many Finger Lakes producers, I feel too many Finger Lakes producers are over-extended with too many varietals and labels and should stick with what they do best, that which is most suited to their terroir - climate, soil, exposure, degree days, sun days, length of growing season, rainfall, and so on. Old World producers, after centuries of experimentation and refinements have perfected matching the most suitable wine grape varietals to their unique terroir or sense of place at their locale. Certainly, this is the case in France, Portugal, and Germany - (I don't know what to make of Italy with their 500+ grape varietals - perhaps this is a reason we don't collect and specialize in Italian wines). Several Finger Lakes producers offered more than two dozen different wines.

Several times, we walked into a Finger Lakes winery where they were serving a dozen plus different wines and I asked for simply their flagship signature wine, and they didn't have one, or didn't know which one to feature.

For most of the producer's we visited, they offered almost too broad a selection of as many as a dozen or more different wines, without a highlight or showcase feature label. Ravines seemed to be less guilty of this excess than most of the others. Even then, Ravines produce Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc and a properly licensed Meritage, as well as several white wines including Gewurtraminer and Chardonnay besides the Riesling.

From all the wines, we tasted during the several days traversing the area, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and perhaps Cabernet Franc for the reds, seemed to be the varietal (s) best suited to the cooler more moderate climate of the region. We continue to buy and enjoy Ravines Dry Riesling with each new vintage release.

Tonight, for snacking while watching NCAA March Madness, with crackers and chips, Linda prepared a creative, tasty artichoke dip with chopped spinach, jalapeno, parmigiana, Greek yogurt and garlic seasoned salt, when went very nicely with this tangy Dry Riesling. 

While not elegant or sophisticated, this is a pleasant easy drinking every day white that offers reasonable QPR - quality price ration - at under $14.

I've written a great deal in this blog about wine marketing and branding. I applaud Ravine in this area with their tasteful, creative and decorative label (label) depicting the chateau (pictured top) and terrain of the estate.

Straw colored, medium light bodied, full forward flavors of grapefruit and tones of lemon and mineral with a subtle note of garden hose rubber on the mid-palate through the tart tangy focused acidity on the citrus finish.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1820218

http://www.ravineswine.com/

Venge Napa Valley Penny Lane Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000

Venge Vineyards, Oakville, Napa Valley, Penny Lane Vineyard Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000

AJ and I with Nil's Venge tasting this wine
at Tra Vigne in St Helena

I've written often in this blog about our fondness for Venge Family Reserve wines and Nil Venge's pioneering with Sangiovese varietal wines in Napa Valley. We don't hold much Sangiovese that isn't the artwork of Venge, whether it be under his label, Del Dotto, or some of the other boutique Napa labels that he crafted as consulting winemaker.

I wrote just last week here in this blog in a review of another Venge label that Nil's has turned over the reigns of the family vineyards and winemaking business to son Kirk. Despite the fact our Cellartracker record shows we're out of this vintage, yet still holding two other vintages, this bottle is the second to last bottle we found in the cellar from that which we tasted and acquired during our Napa Wine Experience 2002 - Venge Vineyards, Rossini Ranch winery visit back in 2002. 

This is the last of the Venge brand Sangioveses that have been the mainstay of many BYOB wine dinners where we've taken bottles to Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria over the last several years. As always, this was a perfect complement to Angeli's fabulous signature pasta and peas with Italian sausage in vodka cream sauce, and eggplant parmigiana.

Unlike the last tasting notes of this wine, fifteen months ago, where it was written to be showing its age, tonight this fifteen year old was at the peak of its drinking window and showed absolutely no diminution from aging. Polished and smooth for a Sangiovese, the 2000 is dark inky garnet color, medium bodied, balanced, with flavorful predominant ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors at its core highlighted, by a layer of herb and anise notes and touch of leather and tobacco. It has a flavorful lush long smooth polished finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17566

http://www.vengevineyards.com/


 

Twenty Bench Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Twenty Bench Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Found this in the cooler to go with pepper steak and salad that L prepared for dinner before she ran out for the evening. Besides our subterranean cellar we also have a cooler adjacent to the kitchen for every day or ready to drink wines. It mostly contains white wines but I checked it tonight and pulled out this bottle, so placed for consumption at some point. What a nice surprise! This certainly exceeded expectations.

This is from Nine North Wine Company, another négociant wine supplier that offers a portfolio of small production wines from Napa Valley and other California North Coast appellations. Like most négociants, they strive for high QPR wines - high quality and value relative to price, sourced from small production producers, or others seeking to liquidate (no pun intended) excess inventory or production.

Founded in 2001 by Jim Regusci and James Harder, Nine North Wine Company established a reputation for producing appellation-specific wines that provided good value for the price; their objective to leverage their network of grower producer contacts into a portfolio of négociant wines.

In December of 2012 Nine North Wine Company Nine North was taken over by Chris Nickolopoulos and Elija Pfister who had also established a reputation for producing a portfolio of appellation-specific wines' négociant wines.

Chris Nickolopoulos grew up in the midwest in a restaurant family where he was immersed in the food business. In 1990, Chris moved into a noisy little apartment next to the Addison “el” tracks in Chicago’s Wrigleyville.  He immersed himself in Chicago’s culinary scene tending bar at the swanky Spiaggia, and moved on to various roles in the wine trade. After 10 years, he moved to San Francisco to lead a respected fine wine sales organization where he spent the next seven years traveling the world tasting great wines and helping build some respected wine brands in the country.

Elijah Pfister grew up on a family farm in Northern California. When his family urbanized and moved to the Bay Area, he looked to neighboring Sonoma and Napa to pursue his appreciation of rural life and farming in viticulture and winemaking. Elijah’s uncle owned a large wine and liquor retailer and Elijah followed in his footsteps in the wine trade when after obtaining his MBA from Stanford, he pursued his love for wine in the business.

Teaming up with Chris’s connections, they assembled a portfolio of imports and launched Maritime Wine Trading Collective in January of 2009. They progressed their business parlaying contacts in the Northern California wine industry into a portfolio of négociant wines.

Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley was one of the first wines released by Nine North Wine Company twelve years ago. They like to emphasize many other not-so famous-parcels of land throughout Northern California that yield terrific fruit from sites with land values not as astronomical as Napa, thereby producing fruit at substantially lower cost per ton resulting in excellent wines that are a good value for the variety.

In the fall of 2000, Nine North purchased 20 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a friend's Napa Valley vineyard. Their winemaker, Charles Hendricks, crafted this wine from what the cellar hands called 'Twenty Bench, 'signifying the 20 tons of fruit from the gentle rising bench land vineyard from which they were picked.

When Charles presented barrel samples to the principles, they noticed the name 'Twenty Bench' written in chalk on the side of the barrels. The result was a high QPR wine with the perfect name.

According to the producers, the label design is based on a native petroglyph that pays homage to the Wappo Indians, the first descendants of the Napa Valley. The name Wappo, which means 'brave', was given to this tribe who lived peacefully in the Napa Valley area going back perhaps more than a thousand years. Notably, in 1836 there were more than 8,000 Wappos living in the Napa Valley area. By 1850 there were less than 500. In 1908, less than 40. This wine is a tribute to those early inhabits of the hallowed land today known as Napa Valley.

At a dozen years of age, I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by a moderately complex, nicely balanced, moderately polished wine with dark garnet color and medium body. An expressive nose with flavors of kirsch, floral, with brambly black raspberry fruits, tones of cola and a hint of mocha taken over in the mid palate turning to predominant spicy tangy acidity with smokey red fruit and candied cherry on the firm tannin laced lingering finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=104962

http://www.ninenorthwines.com/

Ridge Monte Bello, Clos du Marquis, Darioush Chardonnay highlight Surf & Turf Dinner

Ridge Monte Bello, Clos du Marquis, Darioush Chardonnay highlight Surf & Turf Dinner

L prepared grilled rib-eye steaks and lobster medallions for a wonderful surf and turf dinner. We pulled from the cellar Ridge Monte Bello Bordeaux Blend and Bill brought a Clos du Marquis. For the lobster medallions we tasted Darioush Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Ridge Vineyards are mostly known for their broad selection of single vineyard select Zinfandels from a dozen vineyards across Northern California Napa and Sonoma Counties, but their flagship premier label is this Bordeaux blend from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA (Agricultural Viticultural Area - aka appellation).

 The Monte Bello estate and vineyard sit high above Silicon Valley in the range that separates south San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The historic estate is the site of the legendary vineyard, and an old stone winery built by Dr. Osea Perrone back in 1892, the year of the first vintage release from the property. Today, it houses the production facility and includes a tasting room. The property was purchased in 1959 by four Stanford Research scientists who released their first Ridge Monte Bello label in 1962.  Paul Draper, winemaker to this day, joined Ridge in 1969, took over production of red wines the next year, and became winemaker in 1971.

There are 83.5 acres of vineyards on the property consisting of thirty-three different parcels sitting between 1400 and 2700 feet in elevation, which come as close as fifteen miles from the Pacific Coast, and is therefore one of the coolest Cabernet Sauvignon sites in California. The grapes here typically set, turn color, ripen and are harvested three weeks later than typical Cabernet sites in the hotter Napa, and to a slightly lesser degree, Sonoma counties.

Back in the early eighties, we lived in Silicon Valley and our house was up against the foothills in the tony town of Saratoga, down in the corner of Silicon Valley, below the Santa Cruz viticultural area on the Bay side of the range. Our home sat on what at one time were vineyards, and moreso, apricot orchards, which eventually gave way to the sprawl of development in the bustling high tech region of suburban San Jose.

Monte Bello has been called an American 'first growth' and is known for bold, complex, long lived Bordeaux style wines. While 1998 was considered an 'off' year in Napa and Sonoma Counties, the Santa Cruz AVA, ninety miles to the south was not so afflicted. This was our second to last bottle from a case we purchased on release and based on this tasting, we need not be in a hurry to consume the final bottle.

At seventeen years, this showed no diminution from age and may be at the apex of its drinking window, not likely to improve any with further aging, but no need to rush to consume remaining bottle (s).

Dark purple garnet colored, medium to full bodied, initially a bit obtuse and acidic, but softened and opened after decanting and sitting for an hour, full, moderately expressive black berry and plum fruits, complex, nicely polished, accented by subtle tones of  pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, violets, and hints of bell pepper and anise with moderate smooth silky tannins on the finish. It would be overstated to characterize it as 'earthy' but there is a layer of complexity that reflects the storied terroir and reveals the care of 47%  selection and the rigorous thinning that results in extremely selective, low yields of less than 1 1/2 tons per acre. In the classic left bank Bordeaux style, the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 24%, Petit Verdot 5%, and Cabernet Franc 1%.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3557

http://www.ridgewine.com/Vineyards/Monte%20Bello


Clos du Marquis 2004

This is the second wine of the classic Leoville Las Cases St Julien, Bordeaux, one of my absolute favorite Bordeaux and overall wines.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, moderate black currant/berry and black cherry fruits accented by floral tones give way to tones of leather, tobacco, hints of dried herbs and re-emergence of black cherry with moderate tannins on the finish. Not a fair fight perhaps as it was overshadowed against the more complex and bigger Monte Bello.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=92447

http://www.domaines-delon.com/en/leoville-chateau_leoville_las_cases_histoire.html 




Darioush Napa Valley Chardonnay 2008

For the lobster medallion accompaniment I pulled this Chardonnay from the cellar. We first discovered Darioush when Bill and Beth hosted us at a wine dinner at Cress Creek Country Club a dozen years ago and we had the Darioush Cabernet. That was the beginning of our extraordinary wine friendship.

Darioush has since been the feature of several wine dinners, a special winery visit with barrel tasting, and a spectacular winemaker dinner at Everest Restaurant in Chicago. So I favored this Darioush selection for our dinner tonight. I normally don't get excited about a white wine but this was one of the highlights of our surf and turf dinner - a perfect accompaniment to lobster medallions and the salad.

We visited the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2003. Their fabulous winery and tasting facility on Silverado Trail in southern Napa Valley was not yet open but was well under construction at that time. 

We attended the gala Darioush - Domaine de Chevalier Gala Wine Dinner, a fabulous private dinner hosted by Darius & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery and Bernard Laborie of Domaine de Chevalier at Everest restaurant in Chicago in the summer of 2004.

The Darioush was butter colored, medium bodied, crisp and clean, initially slightly forward overtly acidic with tones of oak, but after an hour it settled down and was smooth, polished and balanced with pleasant  layers of fruit - subtle pear, lychee, melon and slight hint of citrus and vanilla with just the right accent of soft smooth oak.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1081544

https://www.darioush.com/

Linden Virginia Claret Red Wine 2004

Linden Vineyards Fauquier County, Blue Ridge Mountains,Virginia Claret Red Wine 2004

We tasted and purchased this Claret Bordeaux style blend bottle at the winery back in the summer of 2010 during our Virginia Wine Country Tour 2010. Winemaker and proprietor Jim Law (left) and his Linden portfolio were by far the best in class producer of Bordeaux varietals we found from Virginia, most notably 'Hardscrabble', their flagship single vineyard designated Bordeaux blend label. We also tasted, liked and purchased their Late Harvest Vidal dessert wine.

The term 'Claret' dates back to the 1700's in England, and the colloquial reference to red wines from the Bordeaux region of France. Britons were large consumers of Bordeaux wines, although during the times they were at war with France, they switched to and popularized Port, hardy fortified red wines from Portugal.

Today, Claret refers to red wines blended in the Bordeaux style from the classic Bordeaux varietals - primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Another trademarked term (subject to license from the Meritage Alliance) for these wines from the new world is Meritage, as written in this blog on subject.

The connection between Virginia and Bordeaux Claret dates back to colonial times when Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson discovered Bordeaux wine while living in France negotiating support for the American Revolution. Jefferson lived in Paris from August 1784 to September 1789 and traveled extensively through the wine regions of France and northern Italy. He brought back to his Virginia estate Monticello not only French wines but also vines to propagate French varietals in the new world. He spent the rest of his years trying to develop those vines and wines in Virginia.

Linden Vineyards, named for the town of Linden, sitting just 65 miles west of Washington, D.C., produced their first vintage in 1987 and their first release and opening of the winery was in 1988. Law has been honing his craft, working the vines and producing wine in the Virginia Shenandoah Valley since 1981. He purchased the abandoned hardscrabble farm in 1983.

Linden grow their Bordeaux varietals on their eighteen acre premier estate Hardscrabble Vineyard (shown left), and a couple nearby vineyards sitting high up the Blue Ridge Mountains at 1,300 to 1,400 feet with an eastern to southern slope. The vines are from 5 to 25 years of age.

Another vineyard sits high on a bluff above the town of Front Royal in the Shenandoah Valley at an elevation of 600 feet, facing west on light, deep, well drained loam soils, planted in 2000.

This Claret is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Petit Verdot (35%), Merlot (13%), and Cabernet Franc (4%) in the classic Bordeaux style.

We still hold several Linden labels from that trip and based on this bottle, its time to try them, although I expect the Hardscrabble Bordeaux Blend and the Late Harvest Vidal to have longer lives than this label.

At eleven years of age, this is clearly past its prime and nearing the last chapter of its drinking window, but still holding enough to be casual easy drinking with some hearty cheese, dark chocolate and grilled beef. Our first and most recent tasting of this wine from our cellar was in 2008 at which time we gave it 88 points. See Linden Virginia Claret 2004 - April 4, 2008.

Dark blackish garnet colored with an ever so slight tinge of brown setting in, medium bodied, somewhat lean and austere, black berry and black cherry fruit aromatics predominate with tangy fruit flavors giving way to a layer of cedar, black liquor, black creosote/tar tones, and ripe raisin from the diminution of the fruits, with a tangy spicy cherry on the lingering tannin finish.

RM 85 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=446266

http://www.lindenvineyards.com/linden/

Vine Cliff Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Vine Cliff Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

Vine Cliff Winery was one of the earliest original Napa Valley operating wineries and vineyards dating back to the 1870's. Vine Cliff was one of the first producers to plant Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley. The 500 acres nestled up against the eastern slope of the Vacas Range of Mountains that form the east boundary of Napa Valley was originally part of the George Yount estate, an early settler in the area and namesake of the village based on his name.

After falling on hard times during the early 20th Century, exacerbated by the challenges of Prohibition, the land sat dormant until it was purchased by Nell Sweeney for her family in 1985.

Today the hundred acre estate remains home to the Sweeney family, Nell Sweeney as Principle and Rob Sweeney as General Manager. The site houses Vine Cliff's winemaking facilities and guest center. The 25 acres planted in vines, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, cling to steep hillside terraces of flat rocky red soil, known as the “Oakville Bench” climbing to 400 feet above the valley floor.

The vineyards are planted and maintained for low yields, sacrificing quantity for quality. This approach gives Vine Cliff Cabernet Sauvignon that famous Oakville terroir character, powerful fruit flavor and low tannins, classic Napa Valley wines, approachable on release, but capable of developing exceptional complexity with bottle age.

When we visited neighboring Darioush Winery during our Napa Wine Experience back in 2003, when they were still building their magnificent winery visitor center and tasting rooms,. we did a private barrel tasting with wnemaker Steve Devitt, formerly wine maker of Vine Cliff. Looking back, it occurs to me this bottle may have been crafted by Steve during those earlier years.

Tonight this was a perfect accompaniment to grilled strip steaks, grilled onions and peas, with dark chocolate souffle dessert.

Dark garnet color, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of earth, tobacco, cedar, leather and smoke and hints of floral on an oaky tannin finish. The fruits may be diminished somewhat giving way to the non-fruit flavors due to age perhaps suggesting its past the prime of its drinking window.

RM 89 points.  I suspect this warranted a point or so higher earlier when a bit younger.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=49811

http://www.vinecliff.com/

Venge Vineyards "Scout's Honor" Napa Valley Red Blend 2013

Venge Vineyards "Scout's Honor" Napa Valley Red Blend 2013

We first discovered Venge wines when we met patriarch and legend Nils Venge back in the mid 1990's. He was consulting winemaker to several of Napa's emerging and established labels and was also producing several labels under the Venge Family brand, mostly Bordeaux varietals, and this proprietary blend based on Zinfandel. He also produced a Sangiovese, which was also released by Del Dotto for whom he was consulting winemaker at the time. We still hold some Venge Penny Lane Family Reserve Sangiovese 1998-2000 that we acquired at the Oakville Winery. We also still hold one remaining bottle of Scout's Honor red blend, named for the family golden lab from the 1998 release. 

Nils Venge left the family wine and spirits business in the 1960's to study viticulture at UC Davis in the early days of the emerging craft before the 'fine' wine business was established in America. In 1976 he managed to purchase 17-acres of vineyards in the Oakville District that was planted in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Nil's honed his craft as a winemaking pioneer and earned legendary status when he crafted the first California wine to receive a perfect 100 point score from emerging influential reviewer Robert Parker with the 1985 release of Groth Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet. 

With the same care, attention and creativity that Bordeaux and Bordeaux blend Meritage producers apply to Cabernet Sauvignon, Nils applied to Napa Valley Zinfandel in this blend created as a tribute to his faithful k-9 companion, Scout. Scout's Honor is a unique blend of  Zinfandel (71%), Petite Sirah (15%), Charbono (10%), and Syrah (4%). While the blend may vary from year to year, the result is a full bodied, bold expressive fruit forward wine that throttles the Zinfandel bramble fruit with breadth and depth of complementary fruit forward varietals.  

We met with Nil's and son Kirk during our Napa Wine Experience in 2002 when they were developing their Calistoga Rossini Ranch property. They partnered in the family venture as well as in the consulting winemaking business for other Napa producers. Kirk Venge took over the primary winemaking duties and oversite of the family business in 2008, the fourth generation Venge in the wine and spirits industry. Following in the footsteps of his legendary dad, Kirk has emerged as one of the emerging up and coming winemakers in Napa Valley. He has been making wines for several premier wineries including Igneous, Beau Vigne, and B-Cellars.

Venge changed up the vineyards significantly with the 2012 release of Scout's Honor, with more “old-vine” plantings providing the foundation for the blend, accented by Altas Peak mountain Syrah and Calistoga and Yountville fruits. 

The result is full bodied, forward, rich, concentrated bold wine with expressive red and black berry brambly fruits, a firm layer of charcoal/creosote that gives way to tones of sweet mocha chocolate with a dusty floral finish on the smooth balanced gripping tannins. 

RM 92 points.

This is a must wine to keep in the cellar - perfect for bar-b-q ribs!

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1825719

http://www.vengevineyards.com/

Black Diamond Pinot Noir 2013

Black Diamond Sonoma County Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2013

I discovered the 2011 release of this wine and thought it provided a good QPR - quality price ratio, a rare find in a sub $20 Pinot Noir, hence I picked up this follow on vintage. The '13 is not as smooth, polished or as flavorful as the '11 but has a similar tasting profile.  Not bad for an every day Pinot but not a best buy selection.

Interesting that their earlier label (below) featured a filled-in solid diamond, the latest release actually shows a skier against a modish starburst backdrop.

Dark garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium light bodied, tones of bing cherry, raspberry, hints of cinnamon spice and vanilla with a slightly tangy oak on the lingering acidic finish.

RM 86 points.
 
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1957919

La Sirène de Giscours

La Sirène de Giscours Margaux 2005

L prepared a tantalizing English Pub stew with a beef bourguignon and carrots in breading, which begged for a dark earthy complex Bordeaux. Picked this up and pulled from the cellar following the Giscours off-label last week as a point of comparison.

This lacked the sophistication, complexity and balance of a Grand Cru, but a top year such as 2005 provides the opportunity to dip into the lesser labels for more affordable (QPR - quality price ratio) every day enjoyable drinking. At $35, this is not necessarily an every day wine, (for most of us), and isn't necessarily a great buy at that price-point. I suspect it is less so in lesser vintages.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, huge floral front, firm tightly bound black fruits give way to leathery creosote layer. Initially flabby and lacking balance or polish, after an hour a firm tannic backbone set in and held together the modest black cherry fruit and black olive on a lingering tangy spicy oak finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=410171 

Laird Family Estate Flat Rock Ranch Malbec

Laird Family Estate Napa Valley Flat Rock Ranch Malbec 2011

I was not aware of Laird Family wines until Linda brought home this bottle gifted from co-worker Lizzie, who hails from Northern California and enjoys their wines as one of her favorites.

Ken Laird was a third generation tobacco farmer growing up working the fields as a youngster with his grandmother, great uncles and cousins back in South Central Virginia not far from the North Carolina border. After studying to be a mechanical engineer in New York City, Ken returned to his family farming tradition by moving west and buying seventy acres of prune trees in Napa Valley in 1970.

As the story goes, Ken decided to develop the orchard into a grape vineyard. Knowing nothing about viticulture, he called the vintner and producer Robert Mondavi. After walking the property together, the two men discussed soils, vines, yields, irrigation, and proper pruning. Mondavi agreed to finance Ken replanting the property 50% Gamay and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, guaranteeing to pay Ken "the highest harvest price paid in the Valley,” for the Cabernet. With that deal, Ken returned to his passion and his family farming heritage.

Today, Laird Family Estates consist of thirty different properties spanning the length and width of Napa Valley, most sourcing fruit for other Napa winemakers, while fruit from one third of the vineyards go into Laird Family Estate labels, including this estate bottled Malbec.

With Ken Laird is daughter Rebecca who serves as General Manager. Winemaking is overseen by Paul Hobbs, consulting winemaker and Julian Gonzalez, winemaker, who since 1994, has worked for Louis M Martini, Chateau Potelle, Vine Cliff, Paul Hobbs Winery, Mi Sueno Winery and Paul Hobbs Consulting.

In 2000, while working at Chateau Potelle he was promoted to cellar master at Vine Cliff, and four year later, to assistant winemaker at Paul Hobbs Winery. In 2007, he was appointed consulting winemaker at Paul Hobbs Consulting.



Laird Family Estate Napa Valley Flat Rock Ranch Malbec 2011

Winemakers notes:  Deep red-violet appearance gives way to a rich bouquet of black current, cigar box, and blackberry. Rich juicy palate with leathery tannins, notes of roasted coffee beans and red plum with just a hint of eucalyptus.

What a pleasant surprise, we were not expecting this complexity and depth of fruit in a Malbec.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black currant and black berry fruits accented by tones of tobacco leaf, leather, expresso and hints of cedar with moderate lingering tannins.

RM 90 points.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1935478

http://lairdfamilyestate.com/wines/2011-flat-rock-malbec/ 

Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Conway Family Wines Deep Sea Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Consistent with earlier blog post. 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. We left half the bottle and it was even better the next day.

Slightly obtuse upon opening but softened and become more balanced and approachable after about an hour. 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/

Bordeaux Anchors OTBN 2015

OTBN 2015 - Bordeaux Dominus Dominance

For our annual gathering for OTBN, a Bordeaux theme emerged when Bill brought a Pichon Lalande, and I pulled from the cellar two more vintages for a mini-vertical. Ernie brought a Duhart Milon Rothschild and a Dominus, Lyle brought a Lynch Moussas, Ryan brought a Bahans-Haut Brion, and the flight was on. A couple '97's in the mix also provided a mini-horizontal tasting of that vintage as well.

OTBN - Open That Bottle Night ...

The OTBN (Open That Bottle Night) tradition calls for the event to occur the last Saturday night in February. See our 2011, 2012,  2013 and 2014 OTBN reports.

As written in this blog to explain previous OTBN's, here's the story. Credit (or blame) for this annual wine bachanalia goes to Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, wine columnists for the Wall Street Journal. OTBN - Open That Bottle Night, was conceived for those that have a special bottle of wine or champagne hidden away being saved for a special occasion that for whatever reason hasn't happened.

Every year since 2000, on the last Saturday night in February, Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) has been celebrated - the time to uncork and enjoy that cherished but here-to-for elusive bottle. OTBN was conceived by Gaiter and Brecher to say, what the heck, go for it, Open That Bottle (to)Night. They realized they weren't alone - having that special bottle set aside for an occasion that just never happens. On this night, you don't need an excuse or a reason - just do it! Take advantage of OTBN to open that bottle and enjoy it! Enjoy it by yourself, or better yet, enjoy it with someone special, or even better, with a group of special friends. Have everyone bring such a bottle and let the story telling begin, because amazingly, every OTBN bottle has a story or some meaning, or not. What the heck, Open That Bottle (To) Night!

Aside the Bordeaux varietals, Dan and Bob both brought Barolo's and a Ribeuro Duero which highlighted the middle courses.

Prior to dinner we opened with a white flight - Lanson Champagne to start, then, Kistler Chardonnay to accompany Dan's shrimp scampi entree. A selection of artisan cheeses, olive and cheese plate, artichoke dip, vegetables in dill, olive oil accompanied the starter course. The cheeses included Prime Reserve aged five year old cheddar, Drunken Goat red wine infused semi-soft goat cheese, Bellavitano, and aged Parmesan.

Linda's spectacular dinner featured beef tenderloin, pork loin roast, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables and brussel sprouts (shown left). 





Wines are listed in order of the tasting course.

Lanson Champagne Brut Rose NV,  to start, then,  

I pulled this from the cellar buried in a case ... its either the last bottle or second to last bottle of a case acquired a while ago. Records say there is one more left in there somewhere. Another OTBN candidate.

A nice start to the evening ... great starter with the starter courses of shrimp scampi, artisan cheeses, fruits and berries.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=327152


Kistler Hyde Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay 1996

This bottle was a gift from Paul H at Pti back around the millennium... a classic OTBN bottle... its time! A grand accompaniment to Dr Dan's classic shrimp scampi dish.

Who said a Chardonnay won't last twenty years? At close to 20 it was time to drink, still within its drinking window, but assuredly past its prime.

Straw or butter colored, medium bodied, crisp and clean in the Burgundian style, a layer of citrus is accented by tones of green apple, hints of almond nut, lychee fruit and pear on a nicely balanced mild acidic finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=61253


http://kistlervineyards.com/

Nova Wines Marilyn Napa Valley Sauvignon Blonde 2013

A fun wine to serve at such occasions is the Nova Wines Marilyn Monroe collection of artist or photo art inspired series wines featuring artwork of photographs of the famous Hollywood movie starlet adorning every bottle that I wrote about in a recent blogpost - Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - A Study in Branding. Bob is not able to drink Reds so we pulled this to get him through the evening... both oogling at the label, and for sipping.

These wines, with their sexy and fun labels have become a collector series with an almost cult like following. The producers have done an extraordinary job with their branding of the Marilyn lines associated with the Marilyn Merlot flagship namesake label, and others. The fun of buying their wines is indicated in this whimsical label Sauvignon Blonde - a play on words of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal, and the Platinum Blonde bombshell that was Marilyn Monroe.

This 2013 release, the sixth in this series of wines based on Sauvignon Blanc, that began in 2008, features a picture of Marilyn, taken by Sam Shaw, while she was spending time with him and his family that the producer says "has an intimacy and realness that is rarely seen in her more posed photographs".

Producer's winemakers notes - "Aromas are a combination of fresh violets and a typical herbaceous note that is expected with Sauvignon Blanc wines. Flavors of Meyer lemons and pears abound. This wine explains why we say Marilyn Sauvignon Blonde is the wine we drink daily!"

They say that Sauvignon Blanc is the grape varietal that manifests itself most naturally in its wines, succumbing to less adulteration or alteration than other varietals. This contributes to the consistency in Sauvignon Blanc wines across the spectrum including the price range.

Rear label

I find Sauvignon Blanc to be an ideal wine for the less discriminating or less sophisticated wine drinker with its simplicity and easy drinkability for every day as well as special occasion drinking. Notably, open this bottle, enjoy a glass, put it in fridge, and enjoy another glass again, and again, up to a week or even ten days later. Its good with white cheeses, seafoods, berries and other fruits, and salads.
This was a great accompaniment to Dan's scampi and the artisan cheeses and salads.

Nova Wines Marilyn Napa Valley Sauvignon Blonde Sauvignon Blanc 2013

This 2013 release Sauvignon Blonde is light straw colored, light bodied, crisp, clean, and flavorful with lemon citrus tones turning to pear and stone with a tangy lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1866356

http://www.marilynwines.com/WINES/SAUVIGNON-BLONDE 
 

Fontanafredda Barolo Lazzarito Riserva Vigna la Delizia 1999

Dan brought this Langhe Nebbiolo Barolo from his cellar.

Dark inky colored, full bodied, black raspberry fruit with  flavors of leather, brown spice, truffle/mushroom hints of tar and earth with firm but nicely integrated tannins.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1365050 

http://www.fontanafredda.it/web/en/
 

Bodegas Arrocal Ribera del Duero Maximo Tempranillo 2005

I am not typically a fan of these wines that reflect their hot climate origins with intense somewhat masculine forward non-fruit flavors. Never-the-less, this was approachable and more polished than many.

Dark inky color, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits accented by notes of tobacco, tar, and a smoky creosote, with bright vibrant acidity and firm tannins.

One reviewer cites tones of 'reduced balsamic vinegar' which I find descriptive and appropriate, but I would not have picked up on. From here on, I can add that to my wine 'vocabulary', as written about in my Wine Tasting 101 blog.

Producer's notes - notably bright, with an abundant acidity one would not expect to find in a wine of such sweetness and density. The aromas and flavours show black cherry and the classic notes of dark berries predominating in tempranillo grown in Ribera del Duero, which gets very hot in summer but which has a very good (although frankly cold) climate most nights. There are a lot of spices and smoked oak among the fruit signatures, and great complexity

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=723520

http://www.arrocal.com/

Grace Family Vineyards Vineyard 29 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

Bill brought this from his cellar. Better than I what remember from earlier tasting, and notes of the 1993 vintage, dark ruby colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated vibrant expressive spicy black berry and black currant fruits, but the '95 tonight has a wonderful tone of nicely balanced, subtle sweet red berry fruit that predominates over a subtle layer of spice, mocha, and anise,with smooth nicely integrated fine-grained tannins on the finish.

RM 93

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=286122

http://www.vineyard29.com/







Château Duhart-Milon Rothschild Pauillac 2000

This wine was included in a mixed case we gave Dr Dan in a rack for his wedding gift back thirty plus years ago. Our shared interest in and joint pursuit of fine wine grew from there. Brought by Ernie from his cellar.

This resembled a Margaux as much a Pauillac with its refined, polished elegance and sophistication. Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, well balanced, full foward aromatics broadcast its full floral and dark berry flavors, accented by tones of anise, cedar, tobacco and soft oak, hints of graphite, earth and tar, turning to smooth polished fine grained tannins on the long lingering finish. This presented well, perhaps at the apex of its drinking window.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=7062

http://www.lafite.com/en/the-chateaus/chateau-duhart-milon/


Château Bahans Haut-Brion 1995

This wine was brought by son Ryan.  This is the second wine of legendary top growth Haut-Brion.

Dark garnet color, medium bodied, the black berry and black cherry fruits were somewhat subdued being overtaken by notes of cedar, cigar box, slight earthiness turning to tones of anise, smoke, graphite and creosote on a modest tannin finish.

RM 89 points. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21058 

http://www.haut-brion.com/





Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1997, 1991, 1992

Bill started this Pichon vertical bringing the '97 to our tasting, and I supplemented it with the two other vintage releases, '91 and '92. All three exhibited classic Pichon terroir characteristics - full elegant floral, dark blackberry and raspberry fruits, earthy leather and tobacco / tea leaf notes, while each showed vintage effects from the three disparate vintages.

Bill's tasting note posting on Cellartracker - "This was one of my offerings for OTBN 2015. Our host provided a '91 and '92 Comtesse for a fascinating vertical comparison of one of our favorite Bordeaux. Given the poor reputation of the '97 vintage, I was pleasantly surprised by the vibrancy of this wine. Color was a slightly opaque garnet. Nose was floral but with some savory herbal notes. There was ample fruit on the palate in addition to some tea and cola. The '97 is certainly not as complex as offerings from better vintages. It is more one dimensional but compared very favorably to the '91 and '92 which while bigger and a tad more complex were showing some age."

WCC 92 points.

I too thought the '97 showed less structure, fewer tannins and less complexity than the others releases. I sense it is at its peak and won't improve any further. Pichon's tend to be long lived and hang on much longer than one would expect, ala my experience with the 1981 vintage, and subsequent release notes, so don't rush to clear this out just yet.

RM 90 points.

Consistent with earlier tasting five years ago, the '91 vintage initially showed greater complexity, bigger floral, more concentrated fruit, and the most sophistication and balance of the three vintages. The next day, the '92 and '91 seemed to trade places, overtaking the 91 with greater concentration, structure and backbone, however the '91 retained the most polish and greatest balance.

RM 91 and 92 points.

Lynch Moussas 2003

Dominus Estate Napa Valley Proprietary Red 1997

After tasting five different premier Bordeaux, this stands tall as the standard bearer of what they are all striving to achieve. This was the class of the evening, perhaps the best Dominus I've ever had, due in part perhaps to the fact it might be at the peak of its drinking window.

Dark garnet colored, full bodied but with no sensation of weight - complex and concentrated yet nicely balanced and polished, a symphony of flavors, huge aromatics project the flavors of floral and berry fruits accented by sensuous oak, spice, cassis, and touch of dusty rose earthiness and tobacco, but so nicely balanced and polished that no flavors stand out to detract or take away from the harmonious whole.

RM 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5417

http://dominusestate.com/

Ninety Plus Cellars Columbia Valley Lot 101 Syrah 2009

Like earlier tastings, I opened this Shiraz to show a contrast in styles and regions, and age, of the same varietal. I've raved about this wine several times in this blog, and tonight, like before, it didn't disappoint, standing up to the other Big Reds. I've stated that this may be one of our favorite drinking wines in our cellar right now, certainly at this price point! Amidst the flight of Bordeaux's Linda begged for this flavorful fruit forward easy drinking favorite. It was a huge hit with the ladies who drank two!

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



For the transition and desert course I served two whites, - remarkable Didier Dagueneau Jurançon Les Jardins de Babylone which served as a transition to the sweet desert course wine, Kracher Welschreisling TBA #8. We love this wine and consider it a standard bearer for sweet desert wines, akin to a quality ice wine or top ranked Sauterne in a good year. Our continued persistence in serving such a wine at dinners has made it a regular expectation that the group looks forward to.

Desert featured Linda's decadent chocolate mousse with homemade profiteroles, Gloria's creme brulee, and Marlene's lemon pound bundt cake, with fresh berries, assorted chocolate truffles, and chocolate caramels with sea salt.


Didier Dagueneau Jurançon Les Jardins de Babylone 2009 

If you can imagine a transition wine course as a palette cleanser ala a lemon sorbet, this was it.

Straw colored, medium bodied, polished, stunning, refreshing, crisp, clean, spirited acidity, a symphony of balanced flavors with touch of sweetness, tones of lemon accented by hints of peach, orange peel, pineapple and lychee fruits and wet stones.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1266324







Kracher Zwischen Den Seen Welschreisling Trockenberen Auslese (TBA) #8 2001

Classic Kracher nectar-of-the-gods mouth full of sweet fruit flavors. Its fun and interesting to watch these wines darken over time. Starting as straw or butter colored, they then turn to a rust color, then weak tea, then darker tea colored, even to coffee colored if left long enough. Not all are sufficiently long lived.

Deep orange/amber almost rust color, full bodied, thick unctuous nectar of ripe apricot, mango, lychee fruits with tones of peach, citrus, honey and hints of smoke on the tongue coating lingering finish.

RM 95 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19087

http://www.kracher.at/en/

Haut-Medoc Giscours - Le Petite Vice at Aureole

Wine Dinner Features Haut-Medoc Giscours and Le Petite Vice at Aureole Restaurant Las Vegas

For a special client elegant wine and dine dinner we went to the fabulous Charlie Palmer restaurant Aureole at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino with its spectacular wine tower and wine angels who actually suspend from cables in the four story glass enclosed wine cellar to pull selected bottles (shown left), the avante garde menu and elegant chic setting.

A consistent winner of the highly acclaimed Wine Spectator Grand Award winning wine list, the collection features over 50000 bottles of the world's best wines, sourced from several private collections.

A visit to Aureole to see the wine tower and to peruse the extensive wine list is a must for the wine lover - classical Las Vegas sensationalism.

Dining at Aureole is a special priority for me when I am in town since I had the chance to collaborate with the Wine Director in their early days of building out the cellar, and developing their then innovative high tech tablet based on-line wine list. 

Their extraordinary wine list features the best of my (or anyone's for that matter) wine cellar, but offering deep vertical selections in addition to the breadth and depth of offering - top vintages of the top ranked producers - from Bordeaux, the first growths, Palmer, Leoville Las Cases, Pichons, my favorite Napa Valley Cabernets - Caymus, Dunn, Silver Oak - to special labels such as Penfold’s Grange and Chateau d’Yquem. 

Being a business client dinner, I had to adhere to my company expense policy realities, so more modest wines than the exclusive entra-ordinary premium selections, but the extensive list offered much from which to choose.

Before dinner we had BTG - by the glass, the Le Haut-Medoc de Giscours. It was so tasty that I started with that for our opening dinner wine with entrees. We then turned to a larger, more intense Napa Valley Cabernet from an here-to-for undiscovered boutique producer, Vice Versa, that resulted in great comparison tasting with similar tasting profiles albeit different styles.

The wines were great accompaniments to our extraordinary haut cuisine dinner selections - bone-in filet, crusted filet with foie gras, bone-in ribeye, and porkchop. 

http://www.charliepalmer.com/aureole-las-vegas/

Le Haut-Médoc de Giscours Grande Réserve 2009

The 2009 vintage of Bordeaux was so good that the second or even third wine of quality producers were great drinking wines. This modest priced wine, relatively speaking to the Aureole upscale ultra-premium wine list, provided good QPR - quality price ratio, worthy of the dinner for our casual wine drinking guests.

This blend of  50% Cabernet, 50% Merlot was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits with hints of spicy cinnamon and clove, on a smooth polished moderate tannin finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1450733

Le Petit Vice Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

This quality proprietary red is the second label from an emerging premium producer, with fruit blended from some of Napa Valley's top vineyards - Beckstoffer, Las Padres and Dr Crain.

Vintner's Notes: Le Petit Vice 2010 exhibits beautiful complex aromas and rich intense flavors suggesting red and blue berries, sweet spices, coconut and Valrhona chocolate. Extraordinary balance, superb weight and silky tannins.

My notes: Dark garnet/purple colored, full bodied, forward, black berry and black raspberry fruits with tones of anise, black tea, dusty earth and hint of flinty leather on a clinging tannin finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1584151
http://www.viceversawine.com/

Robert Craig Howell Mtn Zinfandel 2011

Robert Craig Howell Mountain Sears Black Vineyard Zinfandel 2011 at Emiril's New Orlean's Seafood Restaurant in MGM Grand Las Vegas

We're big fans of Robert Craig Cabernets in all their manifestations - 'three mountains and a valley' - Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mt Veeder, and Napa Valley. Perched high atop Howell Mountain the Craig estate also grows some Zinfandel and sources some Zinfandel fruit from the nearby Sears Ranch Vineyard. I first tasted this wine under the original Howell Mountain Sears Ranch Estate/Producer label. One such memorable tasting was in Washington DC at the Taiwanese Consulate at a gala State Dinner. This was an interesting connection of the Taiwan State and a National Citizen who was an investor/owner in the Napa Howell Mountain estate property.

We first met Robert and tasted his wines back at our first visit to Robert Craig during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 1996, and then again at our Robert Craig featured producer wine dinners in Napa Wine Experience 1998, and again in 1999. We tasted his Howell Mountain Zinfandels at the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 and during other visits such as our 2008 Robert Craig Vineyards and Winery visit up on Howell Mountain. Needless to say, we're long time fans of Bob and the Craig team and their 'artwork'.

Tonight, we had the 2011 vintage Robert Craig release of the Sears Ranch Zinfandel at Emiril's New Orleans Seafood Restaurant at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. It was a great accompaniment to the beef tenderloin dinner selection on our specially prepared menu. I wanted to try this wine and selected it from the winelist. Interestingly, it was their one and only, last bottle.

The Emiril's wine list holds the distinction of the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence award, based on its extensive selection of California and French labels, as well as Italy and Germany - over 9000 bottles from 1300 labels - including many Napa favorites, including the normal widely distributed labels as well as some boutique producers such as Clark Claudon, a popular favorite from or cellar. The Wine Director there is Scott McSimov, shown left,  in one of the three on-site showcase cellars.

Emiril's is one of eleven restaurants at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Notable for wine lovers, the combined wine lists from those sites received more awards from Wine Spectator than any other property in the world, for a second year in a row. They combine for a total nineteen glasses in the popular restaurant winelist award rating system that is based on the scale of one to three wine glasses. 

Robert Craig Howell Mountain Sears Black Vineyard Zinfandel 2011

I couldn't help but pick this limited release unique label from the extensive Emiril's wine list. I have an respectable Robert Craig vertical collection and I'd not had this vintage. Also, I knew the bold, robust, fruit filled Howell Mountain Zinfandel would be popular with our group of casual wine drinkers.

One of my colleagues was drinking a 'lesser' wine and I suggested this. She said, "anything but a Zinfandel". Undaunted I smiled and said, trust me... She liked it!

 Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this was classic Howell Mountain brambly fruit with black raspberry and blackberry fruits accented by black tea, smoke, and vanilla with a spicy oak moderate tannin finish.

RM 91 points.

http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1738575 

http://robertcraigwine.com/

French Dine and Wine in Hyde Park

French Dine and Wine in Hyde Park

We've been wanting to visit La Petit Folie in Hyde Park (Chicago) for a while and used the occasion to meet with friends Dr Dan and Linda since its about a mid-point between us. Hyde Park is the enclave on Chicago's South lakefront known for the Science and Industry Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright landmarks, and of course the University of Chicago. Soon we'll know if it is home to the Barak Obama Presidential Library, whom also happens to have his family residence nearby.

One of the neighborhood attractions to be found in a community full of culture and academia is the French Restaurant La Petit Folie. Even on a cold Chicago winter night it was a wonderful dining experience, meeting or exceeding our expectations in all respects - food, atmosphere, ambiance, value, ease of access and parking, and their hospitable BYOB wine policy.

All the starters, entrees and desserts were delicious, creative and thoughtfully prepared, presented well, and with large portions. Three of us ordered off the price fix offerings, but also supplemented our course with a additional first course from an list of enticing and delectable choices.

They have a carefully selected full wine list - all French appropriately, with 28 reds, nineteen whites and a half dozen sparkling wines and rose. They also offer a dozen and half wines by the glass to fit all categories and tastes. Their prices are reasonable with a bottle of authentic champagne available at slightly more than the four glass price at a total price of about 1.5 times retail price - the appropriate pricepoint, fair and at good value (many restaurants are at 2 or even 2.5x, sometimes more).

I called ahead to validate the BYOB corkage policy, then to accompany our dinner, I actually brought three different French selections from which to choose, for a proper pairing with our entree selections - A Right Bank and a Left Bank Bordeaux and a Chateauneuf du Pape - each bottle was twenty plus years of age.

Les Entrees

Dan and I both indulged in the pan-seared foie gras with  roasted pear, brioche toast and Belgian endive salad; Port shallot sauce. Linda (M) had the casolette of shellfish with lobster - shellfish and wild mushrooms with lobster medallions served warm over pasta al nero. Linda (A) had the goat's cheese tart with ratatouille; small salad of arugula and cherry tomatoes.

For the main course Linda A and I both had the Boeuf en Carbonnade a la Flamande - beef braised with onions, tomato and pale ale; red cabbage braised with apples, baby peas and parsley potatoes. I had preselected this from the web menu and it happened to be available from the price fixe offerings. Linda M had the Salmon Choucroute - salmon wrapped in brick pastry and served with Alsatian sauerkraut and Brussels sprouts; double mustard cream sauce.

Dr Dan had the Pork Chop Alsacienne - boneless center-cut pork chop with sauerkraut, roasted baby potatoes and warm salad of broccoli and broccoli rabi; double mustard sauce.

Desserts 

Our dessert course was the Apple Tart Tatin - the Tatin sisters' upside-down caramel apple French vanilla ice cream and three of us had the Chocolate Bombe - chocolate mousse on chocolate hazelnut torte draped in dark Belgian chocolate.

Phelan Segur Saint Estephe Bordeaux 1996 

I have enjoyed meeting the producer and tasting the recent releases of this Grand Cru at the UGC tastings in Chicago the last three years. This twenty year old is hitting its stride and may be at the peak of its drinking window, was a perfect accompaniment to the foie gras, the mushrooms and the beef flamande, not to mention the dark chocolate desert. 

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits accented by floral aromas of dusty rose and violets that increased over the course of the evening, with tones of spicy black tea, smoke, and hints of graphite, tobacco leaf and hints of leather on a dark red berry fruit and floral lingering moderate tannin finish.

RM 90 points.

http://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=7279