Robert Craig Affinity at Angeli's Italian Trattoria

Robert Craig Affinity at Angeli's Italian Trattoria 

Sister Jan came in to town from SoCal so we dined at Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria. I took from our cellar BYOB this Robert Craig Napa Cabernet for the occasion. 

We visited Robert Craig winery and vineyards many times over the years including a special estate visit high atop Howell Mountain for a private tour and lunch with Jan and Bro-in-law Bill back in 2008 (shown above and below).

 Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007 

I wrote about this label in detail in a blogpost back in 2019. 

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points Wine Enthusiast.

We first tasted this wine from a barrel sample and acquired this release during the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009. 

Robert Parker wrote in 2009, "Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 15 or possibly 20 years. This is the best group of wines I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Winery. Not only is there not a single disappointment in this portfolio, but these are all noteworthy wines, with thrilling levels of quality. Moreover, they are moderately priced for Napa Valley as well as ageworthy. I think these are the finest wines that I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Cellars."

Wine Enthusiast wrote of this release, 'Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s'.

This year’s blend is heavier on the petit verdot, with a composition of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.

In that last tasting bogpost back in 2019 I wrote,  "This exceeded my expectations for this label and indeed was one of the best drinking Affinity's in memory. At fifteen years, this seems to reaching the apex of its drinking profile."

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and smoothly balanced, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of mocha chocolate and spice, hints of cassis, smoke and cedar with smooth silky tannins on a lingering cloying finish.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

Earlier Robert Craig Affinity and estate visit blogposts:
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.htm
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/04/napa-vs-sonoma-2k-cabernet-duo.html
https://mcnees.org/winesite/napa/napa-09/napa-09-craig/napa_harvest_09_craig.htm 

 https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine

 

St Clement Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

St. Clement Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Pulled this from the cellar for midweek sipping with left over beef steak, mashed potatoes and salad.

This moderately priced Cab is from a historic Napa winery that was purchased by Beringer in 1999 to add to their broad and expanding portfolio that includes Beringer Wine Estates, Meridian Vineyards, Chateau St. Jean, Napa Ridge, Chateau Souverain and Stags' Leap Winery. 

Such is the case these days, that the large or mega producers are consolidating or voraciously gobbling up so many of the formerly 'independent' producers. Many of the brands or labels remain but their individuality is variously being diluted as it melds into the corporate or parent's persona.

St. Clement Vineyards continues to produce small lots of premium wines under the same winemaking staff, with the intent to produce the best wines possible from the available fruit. 

The use of the word premium is taken from the producer and needs some clarification. The vast majority of wines sell from under $20 - in fact most for closer to $10. Hence, the pricepoint for premium is for wines above that those levels, and the widespread use of superlatives such as ultra premium since so many wines are many times that, and many producers now have $100+ wines, and $300+ wines and above. 

Notably, this brand produces a higher priced premium or ultra-premium label, Orropas, of which we hold several bottles from numerous vintages. That rather odd name is derived from spelling the then parent company's name backwards, having been acquired and managed for a period by the Japanese Saporro beverage group, of Saporro Holdings, today Sapporo Breweries Ltd., the oldest brand of beer in Japan and Sapporo Premium, the #1 selling Asian beer in the US.

The company has five breweries in Japan, the Sleeman brewery in Canada, and Sapporo Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and most recently they acquired Anchor Brewing of San Francisco, where, from which they now manage Saporro U.S. 

For a period, the global giant diversified into the wine business, abandoning it a short time later to return to and focus on their heritage and mainstream beer business.

I would call this an standard level estate Napa Cab, above the budget or modest (sub $20), priced in the $25 to $40 range, commonly referred to as 'premium'. 

Winemaker Notes: "This Cabernet Sauvignon gives a classic example of Napa Valley, combining valley floor terroir and mountain fruit power. The grapes for St. Clement's Cabernet Sauvignon span several sub-appellations in Napa Valley, including vineyards in Rutherford, St. Helena, Mt. Veeder, Coombsville and Diamond Mountain."

Producer's Wine Tasting Notes: "The Cabernet Sauvignon gives a classic example of Napa Valley, combining valley floor terroir and mountain fruit power. An aromatic bouquet of sweet dark cherry, blackberry, plum and red berry is followed by an attractive clove spice. The bright and juicy palate intrigues with hints of mint and cocoa, and finishes with intense fruit and fine-grained tannins." 

I echo the winemakers' description above finding it accurately representative and consistent with mine. 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2174389

Team cook-out dinner features grilled beefsteak and diverse wine flight

Team cook-out dinner features grilled beefsteak, salmon and broad diverse assorted wine flight

This continues our earlier post on the cookout dinner we hosted for my global team, wherein I wrote about the white Napa Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc blend we served to accompany the grilled salmon. 

Over the course of the Salmon, grilled T-bone beefsteaks, assorted salads, cheeses, fruits and desserts, we opened a broad diverse wine flight of white, red, red blend, tawny port, and pair of dessert wines. 

We served a Sauvignon Blanc from Blackbird Vineyards and were discussing their vineyard site on Oak Knoll Road at Big Ranch Road in southern Napa Valley, down the road from Trefethen Vineyards and Winery. 

Guest and colleague Rick K mentioned he was a member of the Trefethen wineclub and collected several of their wines over the years. Mark B, visiting from the UK, discussed the likely geneaology of the Trefethen name and his shared Welsh family heritage. 

Hence, I pulled from our cellar a special Trefethen select blend as an additional pairing with the grilled T-Bone steaks, and comparison with the other Napa Cab, Clos du Val.

To accompany the grilled T-bone beefsteaks, I opened the pair of red Napa Valley Cabernets starting with . Clos du Val Napa Cab in a large format magnum bottle. Both were ideal pairings with the steak.

Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Clos Du Val is French for “small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972 in the historic Stags Leap District by Franco-American entrepreneur John Goelet. Monsieur Goelet conducted a global search for vineyards where he could build a world class winery - and craft world-class wines. His search ended with the purchase of 150 acres in the Napa Valley Stags Leap District, and 180 acres in the Carneros region at the bottom of Napa Valley near where it meets Sonoma, near the confluence at the top of San Pablo Bay.

In 2012, Clos Du Val’s Winemaker Kristy Melton became only the third winemaker in the four-decade history of Clos Du Val. Previous she had worked at Seresin Estate in New Zealand, and Iron Horse and Saintsbury in California.

I first posted a tasting of this label back in November 2015 when I noted "I like this wine" and rated it 93 points; "Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, a symphony of smooth polished complex flavors - tightly wound blackberry, black cherry, hints of plum and currant fruits accented by tones of black tea, black olive, hints of vanilla, light toast, and tobacco on the finely integrated supply sinewy tannin finish."

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/11/clos-du-val-napa-valley-cabernet.html

I then wrote about it again almost a year ago to the day on 7/16/2021 when I wrote: "At eight years, this is just now starting to hit its stride and has a long life ahead and may not yet have reached the apex of its drinking/aging profile. It might settle down and integrate a bit further for more polish and nuance, but it is delicious now as it is."

'Bright garnet/purple colored, medium full bodied, vibrant, forward expressive blackberry, dark cherry and black currant fruits with notes of graphite, smoke, floral, herbs, black tea and tobacco turning to firm but smooth approachable tannins and a pleasing bright tangy lingering finish."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/07/clos-du-val-napa-valley-cabernet.html

This Clos Du Val 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 95 points by Antonio Galloni of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 92 points by James Suckling.

Served from large format magnum which I believe contributed to its being somewhat more settled balanced than earlier tastings, at nearing a decade, this is hitting its stride and likely at or nearing the apex of its tasting profile and window. 

Consistent with earlier notes, bright ruby purple colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant, complex but nicely balanced blackberry, black currant and dark cherry fruits with bitter dark chocolate, baking spice, black tea, with some smoke and leather on a tangy acidic finish and moderate soft tannins on the finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2122040

https://www.closduval.com/

As mentioned, based on the discussions about Trefethen above, and the unique nature of this label and its heritage, I pulled from the cellar this red Bordeaux blend from them.

Trefethen Dragon's Tooth Napa Valley Red Wine 2018

We discovered and wrote about this label when we visited the Trefethen Estate winery and vineyards at the entrance to Napa Valley just above the City of Napa in the Oak Knoll District during our Napa Wine Experience in 2013.  

Founded by Eugene and Catherine Trefethen in 1968, today, it is managed by the third generation of the Trefethen family.

This label is a tribute to the winery's matriarch Catherine Trefethen, who was from Welsh ancestry. 

This is an interesting, unique blend of Malbec and Petit Verdot, 100% Estate, sourced from new plantings from the rockiest part of Trefethen's vineyard where obsidian flakes occasionally remind them of the toothy smile of Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon) guardian and symbol of Wales.

The blend for this release is 49% Malbec, 27% Petit Verdot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 

Winemaker Notes for this vintage release: "This wine opens with expressive aromas of cherry and blackberry accented with notes of fig, tobacco leaf, and sarsaparilla. Full-bodied and balanced, the integrated flavors of ripe dark fruit lead to a lush and abundant finish."

 

This release was awarded 94 points by James Suckling, 92 points by Vinous, 91 points by International Wine & Spirits Competition, and 90 points by Wine & Spirits and Decanter World Wine Awards.

 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, perhaps too young to reveal its true character and potential as it was a bit tight and closed, still full round ripe black cherry and berry fruits with notes of dark mocha, spice, leather and black tea notes with full tannins on a long finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3774917

https://www.trefethen.com/ 

At this point, one of our guests mentioned a liking to port wine which turned the discussion to suitable and appropriate after dinner wines for such an occasion. I returned from the cellar with a half dozen bottles from which the group selected a Tawny Port and a pair of diverse dessert wines. 

Cockburn's Twenty Year Tawny Porto Director's Reserve (Bottled in) 1994

Our British guest, Mark, noted the proper pronunciation of this producer's name, which is British, Scottish, is "CO-burn", with the ck being silent. 

Cockburn's dates back to 1815, when Robert and John Cockburn, two brothers from Scotland, bypassed the stuffy merchant’s fair in Porto and bought the best grapes directly from farmers upriver in the Douro region of Portugal to produce their own wine, which continued thereafter to this day. 

Cockburn's 20 Year Old Tawny is blended from older, mature, cask aged wines and then refreshed by the addition of younger wines. The average age of this blend is no less than 20 years.

Notably, this Bottle numbered OP 293941, was bottled in 1994, one of the best most highly acclaimed vintages years for port in history. That would render this wine to be going on 20 plus (2022-1994) 28, or 48 years of age. 

This is interesting in that while they indicate on the label that this bottle was produced in 1994, it is not a Vintage Port, since the actual wine is a blend from the highest quality wine frmo across numerous vintages, with an average age of twenty years, hence called a "20 Year Tawny." 

Cockburn produce their flagship premium Vintage Ports in designated vintage years, which is the custom in Porto, a '10 Year Tawny', a '20 Year Tawny', and a 'Late Bottled Vintage' (LBV), sourced from the same vineyard that produces the Vintage Ports, the LBVs are aged in large oak vats for four to six years before being bottled, produced to be ready to drink.

It was wonderful, not the least showing any diminution from age whatsoever. It was enjoyed by all, not just the more hearty robust aged wine aficionados. The Cellartracker drinking window for this wine was 'Drink by 2017', rendering this warning, "This wine is past its drinking window. DRINK UP!!" I dutifully updated the Cellartracker Drinking Window to 2024, based on our experience with this bottle.

My photo of this bottle, with my watermark 'www.mcnees.org/winesite', indicates I published it before I obtained and started using the 'www.unwindwine.com' internet domain name and branding.  

Winemaker Notes for Cockburn's 20 Year Old Tawny although not necessarily this release: "The wine is star-bright, in color somewhere between rose hip pink and dark honey. A seductive, delicate nose evokes subtle hints of raisins, cedar wood, walnuts and cinnamon. Silky and light yet still with a distinct grip the wine is very much alive. The finish is nutty and sinewy and lasting. The character of this wine is similar to that of a fully mature vintage port of a very great year."

Of course, due to the age of our bottle, it was darker, more the color of iced tea.

The recent Cockburn 20 Year Tawny was awarded 94 points by Wine Spectator and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Dark golden colored resembling iced tea, full bodied, rich, unctuous, notes of smoke, nut, hints of butterscotch, toffee and honey. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=620571

More to come .. being updated further ... 

Continuing the wine journey, we opened a pair of aged vintage dessert wines with the dessert course which also included assorted cheeses and fresh fruits. 

We opened, in small format, 375 half bottles, an Italian and a French dessert wine, two disparate styles, profiles and tastes. 

Calvalchina Bianca Del Veneto Passito IGT 2004 Trebbiano Blend 

Several from our group know and have had this wine together during our team dinners at Italian Village, Chicago, many of which have been chronicled in these pages.

I've written about this label on numerous occasions as this is one of the several remaining bottles from a case of 24 half bottles we acquired of this wine for every day casual sipping, ideal for such occasions such as this evening.

Upon release the color of this wine was straw, then turned to butter, and over time has consistently darkened to honey color and it is now the hue of weak tea.

Consistent with some earlier notes, back in 2016 I wrote: Medium-full bodied, the apple fruits, subtle tangerine and hint of apricot and peach flavors have given way, overtaken by tones of burnt caramel, smoke and nut on a flavorful lingering finish.

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=436980

Then to compare with a different style and varietal from a different region, we turned to a Sauterne from Bordeaux from a near vintage allowing for nearly a horizontal (same vintage comparison) tasting of similar purpose produced wines.

Château Suduiraut 1er Grand Cru Classe' Sauternes Bordeaux 2002, 2005

The full flight photo above shows a 2005 vintage release of this label. That is the bottle we consumed this evening. Additionally, we had the remains of this 2002 vintage release from a few nights earlier that we also finished out tonight.  

This is a label we know well as we have a vertical collection spanning more than two decade of vintages. As I written often in the past, its great fun to watch these Sauternes wines age and turn from the straw color on release, darkening over time to butter, then honey colored to weak tea colored.

Dark honey colored, medium full bodied, not as sweet and unctuous as some vintages, the fruit is more subdued lacking the apricot nectar and honey of some vintages. This showed plenty of botrytis, with predominate notes of smoke accented by marzipan, almond, ripe apple, and hints of  vanilla on the tongue cloying finish. 

This was a perfect compliment to the fresh berries, selection of profiteroles and chocolate desserts.

RM 91 points.

Tasted from a 375ml half bottle.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=18468

Team cook-out dinner features Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance Napa Sauvignon Blanc

Team cook-out dinner features Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance Napa Sauvignon Blanc

For a global team summit meeting, I invited the early arrivals over for a Sunday afternoon beef-steak cookout and opened some accompanying wines for the occasion. 

Linda had the butcher specially cut extra thick t-bone steaks and grilled salmon which she served with twice baked potatoes and a wedge or caprese salad. For the steak I opened a large format magnum of a Napa Cabernet and for the salmon a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc blend. 

Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Blackbird Vineyards produces Bordeaux varietal wines sourced from Napa Valley’s most prestigious vineyards in high altitude sites on Spring Mountain and Atlas Peak, on the valley floor appellations of Saint Helena and the Oak Knoll district, and the cool climate region of Carneros.  

We've driven past the Blackbird Oak Knoll District vineyard near the corner of Oak Knoll Avenue and Big Ranch Road down the road from Trefethen and Lewis Cellars Chateau.  

The former walnut orchard was first planted with Merlot vines in 1997, hence the name is derived from the French patois for 'Merlot' is 'little blackbird.'

Blackbird's potential as a producer of top rated wine grapes was revealed when legendary winemaker Mia Klein of Dalla Valle fame created a Blackbird Vineyard designate for her highly acclaimed 1999 Selene Merlot (note that at least 95% of the fruit in the bottle must be from the named vineyard). Three of the top wine critics - Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, and Wine Spectator's James Laube - scored this wine in the 90s.

Blackbird's inaugural 2003 bottling, was awarded 98 points by Vinfolio, proclaiming it, "the best Merlot nobody had ever heard of." 

Partnering with vineyard growers, this wine was crafted by notable winemaker Aaron Pott. After initially studying oenology at the UCalifornia, Davis, he work part-time in the research laboratory at Robert Mondavi Winery before completing his education with a master’s degree in Viticulture from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France.

He then worked as assistant winemaker at Newton Vineyard, under Winemaker John Kongsgaard, then under the guidance and counsel of his first great mentor, legendary Michel Rolland. 

Pott lobbied Rolland to find him a job in France who found him the ideal position as winemaker at Château Troplong Mondot, Premier Grand Cru Classé, St. Emilion. Pott thereafter went on to become winemaker and general manager of Château La Tour Figeac, Grand Cru Classé, St. Emilion. 

Ironically, just last week at the UGCB North American annual release tour, I stood in for the producer pouring Troplong Mondot, standing adjacent to Château La Tour Figeac.

After nearly six years making wine in France, Potts returned to the States to take a position with Beringer Wine Estates as winemaker for the company’s international brands in France, Italy and South America.

After working as winemaker at St. Clement in St. Helena in 2001, he accepted the position as winemaker and general manager at Quintessa in 2004.

In 2007, he founded “Pott Wines” where he served as consulting for a limited number of notable producers, as well as making wines of his own. Currently, Pott is the consulting winemaker for Blackbird Vineyards, Seven Stones Winery, Fisher Vineyards, Quixote, Krupp Brothers Estate (Stagecoach Vineyard), St. Helena Estate, and Joseph Carr Wines.

In November 2012, Pott was named “Winemaker of the Year” by the highly-acclaimed, Food & Wine magazine. Today, he lives at his self-proclaimed “Châteauneuf du Pott” high atop Mt. Veeder with his wife Claire and his daughters Tosca and Isolde.

This label, "Dissonance" gets its name from being the outlier to Blackbird's traditional portfolio of red blend wines. Whimsically, the rear label says, "Please, don't wear red tonight."

This is a blend of 81% Sauvignon Blanc and 19% Semillon, sourced 50% from Napa Valley and 50% from Knights Valley in Northern Sonoma County. 

Winemaker Notes for this release: "Dissonance brings the bright acidity of cool climate Sauvignon Blanc into harmony with the lushness of Semillon and enhances its richness through gentle lees stirring in a combination of stainless-steel tanks, small clay amphora and French Oak barrels.'

"The 2020 Dissonance shines with a beautiful, complex bouquet of mango, acacia flower, honey, and toasted almond. Tropical fruit flavors delight on the palate with bright acidity upon first sip. The mid-palate is soft and balanced, leading into a finish of guava and passion fruit that lingers on the tongue."

This release was awarded 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and James Suckling, and 91 points by Jeb Dunnuck. 

Nice QPR (quality-price-ratio) value in this screw top pleasant casual sipper at $20.

Pale straw colored, medium bodied, vibrant fruits of pear, green apple and white grapefruit citrus with notes of mineral and wet stone gravel with a lingering crisp moderately dry finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3982213

https://www.blackbirdvineyards.com/

 

 

Family Holiday BBQ Wine Cook-out

Family Holiday BBQ Wine Cook-out Features Family Favorites

Son Ryan and D-in-law Michelle hosted the family for a traditional Independence Day holiday cook-out and we opened several nice wines for the occasion. 

We enjoyed family, yard games with the traditional competitions in 'bags' and other, and culminating the day with celebratory fireworks.

Ryan smoked beef brisket and chicken and opened from his cellar a medley of whites and reds and I brought a couple reds for the occasion.

 

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019

We've written much about Cliff Lede wines in these pages, one of our favored producers. The Cliff Lede winery estate and vineyards with their picturesque sculpture gardens at Yountville Cross Road and Silverado Trail are one of our popular visits during our many trips to Napa Valley. One of the more memorable was our private tour and tasting during our Napa Wine Experience 2009.

Normally one of our go-to wines we keep stocked for pleasurable casual sipping, today, we were introduced to a new label (below) from down under, one Ryan considers one of his go-to wines. 

This is a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Sémillon, 3% Sauvignon Vert.  The juice was fermented in 68% French oak barrels, 30% stainless steel tanks, and 2% concrete eggs. 

This was awarded 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 Points by Wine Spectator.

Straw colored, light bodied, complex and structured but rather restrained, notes of melon and apple with hints of lemon meringue, tangerine with crushed rock and stone on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3710508

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

@CliffLedeWine 

 

Cloudy Bay New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2020 

I failed the blind tasting of these wines even with a fifty fifty chance of getting it right. I swore the Cloudy Bay was the Cliff Lede with its sprites of peach fruit. This overshadowed the Lede, normally one of my favored Sauv Blancs. 

Founded in 1985 by David Hohnen and winemaker Kevin Judd their Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand wine on the map. Cloudy Bay joined Veuve Clicquot in 2003 and became part of the LVMH family in 2010.

Cloudy Bay’s legacy began in Marlborough with Sauvignon Blanc and now includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pelorus méthode traditionnelle. The spirit of adventure continues with Te Koko, a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, and Te Wahi, a sophisticated Central Otago Pinot Noir from their two special southern vineyards.

Winemaker Notes: "The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc is bright and focused, with appealing and expressive aromatics of ripe grapefruit, makrut lime and passionfruit on the nose. The palate is mouth-watering , with zesty lime, lemongrass and juicy stone fruit characters melding together, underpinned by a subtle minerality. The vibrant concentrated fruit and freshness bestow poise and balance, and lead though to a long and impressive finish. A wine that will age gracefully for many years."

Straw colored, light bodied, aromas of floral, fresh and vibrant with aromatics of bright citrus, kaffir lime, orchard blossom and passion fruit, flavors of peach predominate with a crisp clean sharp tangy finish.

RM 91 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3767494

https://www.cloudybay.com/en-us/

@CloudyBay 

Philip Melka CJ Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

For a family gathering I brought from our cellar a family oriented wine, this label a tribute to Philippe and Cherie Melka's children with its child's handprints on the label. I took this in tribute to our two new granddaughters additions to our family this year, Lavender and Marylin.

We've recently been enjoying Philippe Melka's handicraft in the Long Shadows Vintners Series with his Pirouette label. 

When I last wrote about this label a year ago I said, 'at twenty years this is clearly past its prime drinking window and starting to diminish from age', but that was refuted tonight with this bottle. 

The fill level and label were perfect and the cork was near so as well. There were no signs of the cloudiness reported in that earlier note, leaving me to believe that tasting was an aberrant bottle. Tonight, this resembled and was consistent with previous, earlier tasting notes.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, the vibrant dark blackberry fruits were accented by earthy flavors of cedar and tobacco with notes of tar, smoke and hints of mocha.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19571

https://www.melkaestates.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/07/phillip-melka-cj-napa-cab-2001.html

@MelkaEstates

Fleury Estate Lauren Bryce Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Ryan collects this wine as a member of their wine club and has amassed a vertical collection of their various labels. We first met Brian and Claudia Fleury at a Del Dotto event in their earliest days when they were just starting Fleury Estate back in 2000.

The Fleury Estate lies just south of St. Helena in Rutherford with a tasting room, winemaking facilities and a 11 acre estate vineyard. Fleury Estate Winery also owns 50 acres of premium vineyard land in the key locations of Napa Valley with vineyards in different appellations and elevations which enables them to craft consistent, high quality Napa Valley wines year after year. 

The cork of this thirteen year old disintegrated upon opening and the bottle had a slight funk to it which blew off for the most part after a while - but the bottle was clearly an off bottle. Never-the-less I found it enjoyable and notable drinking for the occasion. 

I defer to my tasting notes from this label from two years ago since it was somewhat consistent and perhaps a more fair representation. 

From earlier tasting in 2018: This (vintage) was dark blackish inky colored with full body, rich concentrated bright, vibrant, forward unctuous fruits of sweet ripe dark berry, black raspberry and currant fruits with notes of dark mocha and sweet toasty oak turning to nicely integrated tannins on a full chewy lingering finish.

This was delicious, very much my preferred style and profile, but perhaps too sweet for some folks' palette! That day I gave this 94 points. 

Today, likely due to bottle variation I give it a 91.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/08/fleury-estate-napa-valley-cabernet_8.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1491336

https://www.fleurywinery.com/

@FleuryWinery

Mollydooker Carnival of Love 2017

We have fun with the whimsical labels of Mollydooker with their cartoonish characters and circus poster themed labels. But, there is nothing whimsical about their big full-throttle Shiraz in their premium label Carnival of Love. We adopted this and the companion Enchanted Path labels years ago for family celebration dinners.

This is one of our family favorites that we collect and serve at special family occasions. I featured this producer and label in an extensive blogpost back in 2018, and in an broader exposition of their portfolio earlier back in 2014, and most recently in February of this year.

'Carnival of Love' has become one of our family tradition wines which began when we started serving at wife Linda's and then family birthday parties, since Linda is a Lefty. We love this style of this big opulent forward Shiraz.

The Carnival of Love Shiraz is one of their best and has made the Wine Spectator's "Top 100" twice, the 2012 was #2 in 2014, recognized as the #2 Wine in the World, and that year, Mollydooker was named Winestate's Wine of the Year for 2014.

Winemaker notes for this release: "This McLaren Vale Shiraz is powerful and expressive. Lifted aromatics of dark berries and smoky oak leap boldly from the glass. With a satin like palate; cherry and satsuma plum flavors develop into decadent dark chocolate and licorice. Complex flavors, phenomenal depth and perfectly polished tannins are what makes this Carnival of Love one to be savored and celebrated."

This is 100% Shiraz. The grapes were grown on the Gateway vineyard in McLaren Vale, and the juice was barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak and 100% new. 

This release was awarded 94 points by Wine Advocate and 93 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark purple garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, textured, juicy velvety smooth raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of caramel, cedar, oak and spice on a tongue coating lingering finish.

RM 93 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3097884

 

https://mollydookerwines.com.au/  

@MollydookerWine

 

Ryan also served Mollydooker Two Left Feet Shiraz Cabernet and Austin Hope Paso Robles Cabernet. I'll feature them in a follow-on tasting post. 

 

Zaca Mesa Eight Barrel Syrah 2017

Zaca Mesa Eight Barrel Syrah 2017

Linda grilled a pizza on the deck and wanted a big bold Syrah for a 'pizza' wine. I pulled from the cellar this Santa Ynez Valley Syrah we discovered, tasted and acquired during our Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards Visit during our Santa Barbara County Wine Experience earlier this spring. We received this as part of our inaugural wine club shipment of a select mixed case from our visit. 

Eight Barrel Syrah derives its name from an anomalous practice employed during its first vintage back in 1993. As part of an experiment from the inquisitive nature of then winemaker, Daniel Gehrs, rather than crushing the grapes, allowing fermentation, pressing the grape skins and stems – or pomace – to extract all juice, and then moving the wine into barrel for aging, that Eight Barrel Syrah was crafted by first allowing the wine juice to freely run out of the fermentation tanks off the grape skins and stems without pressing the pomace to release trapped wine. He then allowed the remaining trapped juice to slowly drain overnight into a separate collection, gradually extracting deep color and flavor from the grape skins. The collected volume of wine from that first vintage filled just eight barrels, and so it was christened “Eight Barrel”, a new and distinct bottling of Syrah. 

That wine’s opulent style created somewhat of a cult following that grew each year, the demand quickly and vastly exceeding a mere eight barrels. Hence, they no longer limit production to just eight barrels of the label. They do retain the branding in remembrance of the eight barrels of wine that started the tradition. Eight Barrel today, is one of our Zaca Mesa's most sought after wines, which they work to  craft a more hedonistic style to round out their portfolio of Syrah offerings.

Zaca Mesa Eight Barrel Syrah 2017

 

Winemaker notes for the 2017 Eight Barrel Syrah: "The aromatics (of the 2017 Eight Barrel Syrah) are lifted by tones of juicy plum and caramelized cinnamon, followed by an underlying element of seasoned firewood. The burly personality of this wine is evident upon the first sip, broadly covering the palate and offering an abundance of both red and blue fruits. The texture evolves as opulent tannins settle into a persistent finish of cured meats and dried cranberry."

 

Dark inky purple colored, medium-full bodied, black raspberry and plum fruits accented by spice, sage, black tea and tobacco notes.

 

RM 89 points.

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3585981

 

https://www.zacamesa.com/

Zaca Mesa Winery Twitter - @ZacaMesa_Wine

 

 

 

 

Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

We're hosting the early arrivals for my global team summit this week for a beefsteak cookout and I'm considering opening a magnum of this label, so I wanted to open it and try it as a preview for the event. Ironically, based on an earlier blogpost, I lasted tasted this a year ago this week - which seems to happen quite often.

My Cellartracker records indicate I bought some, tasted it, then went back and bought more, and then went back and bought a couple magnums of this release.

My records show I tasted one bottle of this label six years ago, back upon release in 2015. Then, I wrote, "The 2013 Napa Cab's are coming and all indications are that it is a blockbuster vintage, one of those where all boats rise with the tide, such that all earnest producers should have notable collectible releases, one for the consumer to rejoice and stock up."

Interesting that Antony Galloni used the same metaphor in writing about this vintage of Napa Valley 2013 vintage, "The rising tide has indeed lifted all boats, as can be seen by the number of estates that over-achieved and made brilliant wines... When all is said and done, there is little doubt 2013 will go down as one of the all-time great vintages for Napa Valley."

The Clos du Val received spectacular ratings and appears to be one of those rare wines that come along every so often where everything comes together for a high QPR (Quality Price Ratio) highest rated wine at a moderate price point. 

Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The wine is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% Merlot, and 2% Petite Sirah. It was aged for 18 months in 25% new oak before bottling. 

This label was rated 95 points by Vinous and Antonio Galloni of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 92 points by James Suckling. 

Chicago wine merchant Vin Chicago described it this way. "Even more impressive than the flavors is the structure. The tannins are powerful and youthful, yet as nuanced and integrated as you'll find in some of the world's best Cabernet or Bordeaux." 

At eight years, this is just now starting to hit its stride and has a long life ahead and may not yet have reached the apex of its drinking/aging profile. It might settle down and integrate a bit further for more polish and nuance, but it is delicious now as it is. 

Bright garnet/purple colored, medium full bodied, vibrant, forward expressive blackberry, dark cherry and black currant fruits with notes of graphite, smoke, floral, herbs, black tea and tobacco turning to firm but smooth approachable tannins and a pleasing bright tangy lingering finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2122040

http://www.closduval.com/

@ClosDuValNapa 

 

Château Coufran Haut-Médoc Bordeaux 2019

Château Coufran Haut-Médoc 2019

As part of our volunteer service working the Union des Grand Cru Bordeaux 2019 Vintage Release Tour Chicago for the (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), we poured this wine on behalf of the producer who was not able to attend.

I opened this to taste with some artisan cheeses, crackers and fresh fruits and assorted nuts.

Château Coufran dates back to the mid-1700s. The vineyard first gained notoriety toward the end of the 18th century when it was owned by Baron Hector de Brane, who is best known for creating Château Brane Mouton, which is known today as Château Mouton Rothschild.

The property was acquired by the Celerier family in 1868 who held it until they sold it in 1924 to the Miailhe family, who were well established in the Bordeaux wine trade at the time as negociants who also owned several other Cru Bourgeois chateaux located in the Medoc.

The Miailhe family had been active in Bordeaux since 1793 and at various times were owners of Château Pichon Lalande in Pauillac, and Château Palmer and Château Siran in Margaux.

The Miailhe family were responsible for planting a preponderance of Merlot in all of their properties, a practice that carried over to Coufran. Today the 185 acre of Château Coufran vineyards are planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. With its high percentage of Merlot, Chateau Coufran has sometimes been called the "Pomerol du Medoc".

The estate sits in the most northerly portion of the Medoc, not far from the St. Estephe appellation. The terroir has coolest climate in the Haut Medoc, with some of the highest of sloping hillsides that rise to 21 meters with gravel, rock and clay soil.

The terroir is well suited to Merlot which ripens earlier than the Cabernet Sauvignon, especially with the cooler micro-climate there. The vines average about 40 years of age with some more than 50 years old.

In 1999 Château Coufran brought in Olivier Seze of Château Charmail to consult on winemaking and vineyard management which improved the quality of the wine since then over time. 

Château Coufran produces about 35,000 cases per vintage. The wine is aged for about twelve months in an average of 25% new, French Seguin Moreau cooperage oak barrels.

They also produce a second wine, La Rose Marechale. 

Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, 2019

The property has seen improvement in its wines in recent years and the recent 2018 and this 2019 vintage releases are considered some of their best. 

Bright ruby colored, medium-full bodied, expressive black berry and plum fruits with floral, herbs, cocoa, earth and tangy spice on the round moderate, smooth tannin finish. 

RM 89 points.

This was awarded 92 points by James Suckling.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3735546

http://www.chateau-coufran.com/ 

learly things are on a roll here at Coufran, as this competes for the finest wine ever produced at the property. Medium-bodied, with flowers, herbs, spice, cocoa and red fruits show up easily in the nose and on the earthy, plummy, round, polished palate, leaving you with a bit of espresso, cocoa and plums in the finish. Drink from 2023-2033.89 Points
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/haut-medoc-lesser-appellations/chateau-coufran-haut-medoc-bordeaux-wine/

Catch 35 Naperville Surf & Turf and Wine Dinner

Catch 35 Naperville Surf & Turf and Wine Dinner

For a business dinner with a vendor partner we dined at Catch 35 in Naperville. Son Alec works for the same vendor and was invited to join us - a real treat for a father-son business experience. 

The Catch 35 wine list features several of the Long Shadows labels - the library of Vintners Collection Series wines produced by world famous winemakers in each of the varietal select categories.

I have written in these pages about Long Shadows, the brand portfolio of several labels, all crafted by world famous winemakers from fruits sourced in the Washington State Columbia Valley. This was the vision of Allen Shoup, former CEO of Chateau St Michelle, champion and evangelist for Washington State wines. He formed the brand and recruited a world famous winemaker for each varietal based label. Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world’s top wineries, was selected to produce this Right Bank Bordeaux Blend wine, and legendary Napa Valley Cabernet producer Randy Dunn to produce this Cabernet. 

We've long known about the brand and joined their club while visiting their tasting room hospitality center in Woodinville WA during our Seattle Wine / Dine Experience in 2018. We remain Vault Club Members of the allocated portfolio and get a case each quarter of two of the varietal based selections including this Pedestal label.

For my entree, I chose surf and turf - lobster tail with filet with portabella mushrooms - demi-glace, with whipped potatoes, thus was able to enjoy an ideal pairing with a Merlot
Bordeaux varietal wines.

Long Shadows Vintners Collection Pedestal Merlot 2017

Pedestal 2016

We know this wine well as I have several vintages of this label in our cellar collection, having been a wine-club member for half a decade. We also know and hold several vintages of the winemaker Michel Rolland's flagship labels, legendary Pomerol Bordeaux and Napa Valley oenologist, vintner and consultant to some of the world’s best wineries. This was the best tasting of this label I have had as this vintage selection and food pairing exceeded even my loftiest expectations. 

This is a blend of 82% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, that was aged 22 months in French oak barrels, with 86% being new. 

This release was awarded 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 94 points by Wine Advocate and International Wine Reviews, 93P points and a Cellar Selection by Wine Enthusiast, and 92+ points by Stephen Tanzer.

Dark inky garnet purple in color, full bodied, bright vibrant opulent black raspberry and blackberry fruits with notes of cassis, spice, dark mocha chocolate, cigar box, black tea and hints of vanilla with a smooth polished medium silky tannin laced finish.

RM 94 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3581700

Long Shadows "Feather", Columbia Valley, Washington, 2018

Another label from a producer we know well from our broader cellar collection that span more than two decades, and vertical collection of this label. Our meeting with winemaker Randy Dunn during a visit to Dunn Vineyards estate high atop Howell Mountain was a highlight of our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008.

 

One note about winemaker Randy Dunn's wines is that they tend to be long-lived. Pundits say in their reviews, "Best after 2025, with a long life beyond that"; "This wine will be even more delicious with another several years of bottle age. Cellar this and enjoy it for the next 15 years or longer."

That said, this may have been consumed too young and need several more years of aging to develop, integrate, and settle to reveal its true profile, character and potential. A risk of drinking young wines from a restaurant wine list. They might likely be better served perhaps holding this back a few years, or, more likely, featuring some of the other Long Shadows Vintners Series labels that might provide earlier younger drinking gratification. 

Aside the Pedestal above, this was rather closed and therefore somewhat subdued. Perhaps this is a vintage comparison, or reflecting its youth relative to a more vibrant younger reflective label. 

This label also got blockbuster reviews and ratings - 96 points from International Wine Report, 95 points from Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous, Owen Bargreen, and 93 points from Wine Enthusiast who awarded it Cellar Selection, Best of the Year 2021.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Feather comes from the Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope Weinbau and Wallula Vineyards in Columbia Valley, Washington, and spent 22 months in 90% new French oak. 

Classic Randy Dunn style Cabernet with dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, tight, structured dense and concentrated yet somewhat subdued blackberry and black plum fruits accented by cassis, dust, tar, graphite, leather, tobacco leaf, with hints of dark chocolate and expresso coffee. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3729458

https://longshadows.com/

@LongShadowsWine

https://catch35.com/

@Catch35Naper 

 

 

Coco Pazzo Italian Wine and Fine Dining

Coco Pazzo Italian Wine and Fine Dining - Chicago

For a business partner dinner, hosted by son Ryan, we dined at Coco Pazzo Italian Restaurant on Hubbard street in trendy chic River North, Chicago. 

Opened in 1992 by restauranter Jack Weiss, Coco Pazzo serves classic traditional seasonal cuisine of Tuscany in a classic stylish 100 year old loft building with timber beams brick walls and rich cyprus floors adorned with blue velvet curtains for a rustic urban chic atmosphere. 

The extensive menu crafted by Chef Eric Hammond features both classic and contemporary dishes with the finest ingredients. 

Coco Pazzo has an award winning Wine Spectator Best of Excellence Award winelist assembled and curated by Wine Director Tamra Presley Weiss, featuring a broad and deep selection of Tuscan focused Italian wines from modest to the most exclusive producers and labels. They also serve twenty wines by the glass WBTG and a collection of large format bottles for special occasion dinners. The winelist has been recognized not only by Wine Spectator but also Food & Wine, The Wine Enthusiast and Wine & Spirits. 

From the wine list I selected three different wines in three styles and profiles to suit our diners' preferences and varied entree selections. All were ideal accompaniments and were very reasonably moderately priced values.

Avignonesi Grifi Toscana Rosso 2018

This Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese was perfectly paired with my entree selection, the Saltimbocca di Vitello topped with sage and prosciutto with wine shallots and sides of Polenta and Spinach.

The Avignonesi estate still bears the name of its founders but since 2009 it has been owned by Virginie Saverys who pursued winemaking after a successful law career in Belgium. Saverys has turned Avignonesi into one of the largest biodynamic wineries in Italy with 340 acres of vineyards and a state-of-the-art winery in the Montepulciano appellation. 

Grifi is a Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese - 50.42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49.58% Sangiovese. It was aged 18 months in French oak barriques (225 ltr) and large Slavonian oak barrels (6000 ltr).

The Sangiovese comes from the Marmino (18.55%), Caprile (15%), El Grasso (10%) and Poggio Badelle (6%) estate vineyards. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from La Banditella (40%) and Poggio alla Lodola (9.58%) estate vineyards. 

Winemakers' Tasting Notes: "The assembly of two such different personalities such as Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon blend together, giving this wine a unique character. Dark ruby red in color with purple reflections, the nose opens with notes of blueberries, blackberries and incense going up to sandalwood and graphite. In the mouth it is dense and complex with hints of blackberry jam and cinnamon. It then evolves like a balsamic explosion supported by good acidity. The lively tannin all over the palate accompanies the savory and persistent finish."

Dark garnet colored with purple hues, medium full bodied, dense complex concentrated blackberry and black raspberry fruits with notes of graphite, cinnamon spice, black tea, creosote and hints of what the winemaker refers to as balsamic, with a tangy acidic moderate tanning lingering finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4114241

https://www.avignonesi.it/portfolio-item/grifi/  

@avignonesi

Acosta Pirrera Terre Siciliano Nerello Masalese 2016

Those that selected seafood entrees still preferred red wine so I chose this Sicilian Nerello Mascalese grape from the Mt Etna region from a spectacular vintage. 

Spanish, from Tenerife, winemaker Eduardo Torres Acosta fell in love with Sicily and moved there to produce local sourced wines. After gaining experiences with Arianna Occhipinti and Passopisciaro, he set to produce his own wine, initially renting 5 acres of 50-year-old vineyards on the slopes of Etna. He continues to produce totally organic "artisanal" wines, using only liquid sulfur and copper and, in the cellar imposing minimal human intervention.

From the Mt Etna Terre Siciliane region this is a blend of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Capuccio, Minella.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3076123

 

Tenuta Monteti Toscana IGT 2016

For a third bottle, I ordered another Super Tuscan, this one a complex diverse blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals from a highly acclaimed vintage. 

Tenuta Monteti was founded in 1998 by Gemma and Paolo Baratta after years searching for a suitable property to develop for growing grapes and producing wines. They found and setttled on a property in a corner of Tuscany in the southern Maremma area, in a small valley, 15 km from the sea and 145m above sea level, where the fields are protected by the Monteti hill from which the estate takes its name. At that time the area was still unexplored and unproven for high quality wine production. 

In collaboration with consultant oenologist Carlo Ferrini, they pursued what they believed as extraordinary potential of the land to produce quality wines capable with personality with elegance.

Starting from scratch, without regulations of a pre-existing OC classification, they were free to experiment with the soil and the climate, to plant the varieties that would respond and best express themselves to their truest representation of their place. The result was planting Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Alicante Bouschetto, all chosen to best express the unique terroir - climate, soil, exposure, and elevation of the archaic Mediterranean hills.

In 2010, their daughter Eva took over running the company assisted by her husband Javier Pedrazzini, who is sales manager and production supervisor, and a team of agricultural manager, a managing oenologist, and 12 others working vineyards and the winery. 

Monteti is the flagship wine, named like the estate after the hill that protects the vineyard from the strong Mediterranean winds, and guaranteeing the microclimate.

The label is a blend of the estate varietal fruit, 45% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Cabernet Franc. It is aged for 18 months in medium-toasted French oak barriques, 70% of which are new. This is followed by further 2 years of bottle ageing before being released onto the market.

Monteti reveals the personality of the Maremman territory with its complexity and elegance; the Petit Verdot setting the personality, the rebel horse, Cabernet Sauvignon providing structure and longevity, softened and balanced by the Merlot, with the Cabernet Franc adding a feminine element that embraces and softens both.

Winemaker's Notes: "An intense and luminous garnet red, it offers to the nose exotic scents of delicate spices and marzipan, violet and black berries. In the mouth it is intriguing, harmonious, interwoven with elegant tannins, very long."

https://www.tenutamonteti.it/en/monteti-2016/ 

https://www.cocopazzochicago.com/

@CocoPazzoChi