St. Hallett Faith South Australia Barossa Shiraz 2006

St. Hallett Faith South Australia Barossa Shiraz 2006 

Consistent with earlier tasting notes, even at eight years of age. Found a half case of this buried in the cellar and delighted to find it drinking well for a casual every day sipper. Good with beef roast, hearty cheese or dark chocolate.

Dark inky black purple color - dense full bodied and chewy; initially tart cherry quickly burns off and gives way to black berry, tar, spicy cedar, hints of tobacco, white pepper, anise, charcoal and smoke on a slightly 'hot' lingering moderate tannin oaky berry finish. Slightly obtuse and lacking polish but a great value at $12.99 for high QPR - Quality to Price Ratio.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=431862

http://www.sthallett.com.au/

Deep Sea White Hawk Vineyard Santa Barbara Syrah 2008

Deep Sea White Hawk Vineyard Santa Barbara Syrah 2008

We opened this tasty full throttle Shiraz for a casual weeknight sipper by the fire on a frosty cold winter night. Looking back through my Blogposts and tasting notes, its been ten months and tastings of six other wines from this producer since we last featured this Deep Sea Syrah, the label that started our whole discovery and exploration of this Producer. As posted earlier, like another Syrah that I hold in my cellar that I discovered under the same circumstances, I found this downstate at Friar Tuck's, a wine merchant with stores across Central Illinois cities and suburban St Louis, Missouri. A few years ago I discovered Flinders Run Flinders Ranges Shiraz there and went back and bought out all that they had. Downstate for a client meeting, last winter, I picked this up to to try with a carry out rib dinner back at my hotel. I went back the next day and bought out their complete inventory. On a return visit they had more and I bought it all again. Both labels offered a big fruity Shiraz in the style we love, not available in Chicagoland, (although their highly recommended  Cabernet and Pinot Noir, and their Red Blend can be found), at a high QPR - Quality Price Ratio. It might be that this was perhaps a Negociant release and thus unfortunately may have been one and done.

Deep Sea is a producer in Santa Barbara that speaks of their quest to feature wines that represent "maritime influenced vineyards of merit and singularity .... their origins and the impact of California's coastal climate. California's appellations are ideally influenced throughout the growing season by the unique climes created by the Pacific Ocean. The ethereal 'fog-like wave' on the label references the focus of Deep Sea wines showcasing the impact of this natural cooling on some of California's most recognized maritime appellations."

This Syrah is made with grapes from the White Hawk vineyard in Santa Barbara County.  It is aged for eighteen months in French Oak barrels. 

Dark inky purple, full bodied, thick, concentrated, chewy black and blue berry fruits with a layer of alcohol, tones of caramel and vanilla, turning to hints of black pepper and mint on a moderate tannin laced lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1201424

http://www.deepseawines.com/

http://friartuckonline.com/

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2002

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2002

We hold a mixed case of Bordeaux varietals from this producer, including a mini-vertical of Reserve Cabs, whom we've passed along Hwy 29 in South Napa Valley many times. It deserves a visit on one of our upcoming trips.

At twelve years of age, it is time to drink this in the coming year or so. Opened and tasted, then pumped and vacuum stoppered, and re-tasted a couple days later to reveal an evolving and improved, increased complexity tasting profile. It was a good accompaniment to beef steak and roasted potatoes, and then later with smoked Gouda cheese.

Dark ruby colored, medium bodied, aromatic berry fruits, tobacco and floral, complex medley of black berry fruits, tones of tobacco leaf, anise and hints of mocha and black tea. On second tasting a couple days later, there was a layer of sweet cognac on the mid-palate that was faint on initial opening but almost predominate later. Nice polished dusty tannins highlight the moderate smoky black berry,  tea and cognac layered finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=62190

http://www.whitehalllane.com/

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Shiraz 2004

Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz 2004

On a cold blustery snowy Chicago winter evening, we ventured out to Angelis, our local neighborhood Trattoria for a hearty wine and dine meal. We took this Kilikanoon Testament Shiraz, BYOB which turned out to be a perfect complement to both our entree selections - Linda's Butternut Squash Gnochi (think brown sugar - to which she has them add spinach), and my Pasta and Peas with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce - a winter favorite (see below).

For a starter, we had Angeli's extraordinary clam chowder which is the best anywhere with its thick, chewy smoky bacon undertones.

Kilikanoon Testament Barossa Valley Shiraz 2004

Perhaps it was the warm ambiance and the food pairing, or the dozen years of age added to this wine, but tonight, while consistent with earlier tasting notes, it was even more delicious and tasty than I remember. This typifies everything we love in a hearty Shiraz with its rich, concentrated, complex succulent fruit flavors.

Dark inky purple colored, full bodied, the blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruits are accented by a layer of creosote expresso with tones of cigar box and cedar with hints of mocha, black pepper and anise on the lingering chewy tannin finish.

Upon opening and for the first hour, the non-fruit tones detract a bit from the polish and finesse of the wine in my opinion hence it is perhaps best consumed with hearty food, dark chocolate or full cheese. The next day this was balanced, nicely polished and harmonious.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=292243 


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

Angeli's Pasta and Peas
with Italian Sausage in Vodka Cream Sauce

Angeli's decadent Butternut Squash Gnochi
(with some spinach added)

Carmenet Moon Mountain Estate Reserve Sonoma Valley Meritage 1995

Carmenet Moon Mountain Estate Reserve Sonoma Valley Meritage 1995

A bona fide Meritage. Tasted at home with beef roast, potatoes, gravy, and artisan cheese with cracked black pepper crackers.

Last of several bottles. Consistent with earlier and previous tasting notes of this same wine and format - showing gradual further diminution from aging, opening with a slight barnyard funkiness before giving way to the vibrant fruits. From earlier post - dark, medium bodied, slightly earthy and leathery revealing its age, overpowering the berry currant, smoke, cedar and herb with moderate tannins.

From 375ml. Blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Not too late but time to drink up.

RM 87 points, reduced from 88 previously.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=63738 

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988 with Waterleaf Glenn Ellyn French inspired dinner

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988 with French inspired dinner at Waterleaf in Glen Ellyn

We dined with son Ryan and D-in-law Michelle at the Waterleaf restaurant in the Culinary Arts Center at COD (College of DuPage) in Glen Ellyn. I took BYOB from the cellar this Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1988. The aged Bordeaux was a perfect accompaniment to the French inspired cuisine.

Waterleaf features a pric fixe selection of choice of starter, entree and dessert which two of us selected.

To pair with my BYOB wine, as a starter I had the Chicken Liver Mousse with Cherry Compote and Toast Points.

For entree selections, I had the Grand Marnier Coffee Glazed Duck Breast with Carrot Puree and Raspberry Reduction (left), and Ryan had the Filet Au Poivre with Potato Croquettes and Pea Puree (below).

Before dinner we had the Henry Mandois Brut Champagne, NV, and then with the girls' seafood entrees, we ordered Chappellet Napa Valley Chenin Blanc 2011 from the Wine Spectator award winning winelist.

For dinner entrees, Linda had the Sea Bass and Michelle had the Crusted Scallops (shown below).

Waterleaf's service was a bit lacking as it was a bit slow and inattentive. While the pairing of our vintage Bordeaux with the pate, steak and duck were highlights of the meal, the wine service was slow and a bit awkward. It took three requests for them to finally decant and serve our wine, which by the time it was in the glass we were almost finished with the pate starter. When the entrees were finally served, the duck entree was warm, not hot. Service aside, all the food selections were delicious with nice picturesque presentations, as shown. 

For desserts, we had the Sorbet Selection, the Maple (Creme) Brulee (which was void of Maple?) (below) and another.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 1988

Before heading to the restaurant I opened and decanted the Ducru for three hours, then recorked it. The cork was perfect and the fill level of the bottle was 1/4 up the neck.

The color was bright ruby with no sign of diminution from age. Upon opening the room filled with huge aromas of violets, berry fruits, green pepper, leather and cigar box. The wine was medium bodied, with complex bright flavors of black berry, black cherry with earthy tobacco leaf, very modest tannins and a short finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21784

http://www.cod.edu/waterleaf/index.aspx 

Waterleaf Sea Bass was superb

Waterleaf Crusted Scallops

Waterleaf Filet Au Poivre with Potato Croquettes
and Pea Puree

Waterleaf Maple Creme Brulee

Waterleaf Sorbet Selection - Chocolate, Berry, and Ginger

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series Releases

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series 2010 Release and 2012 Unveiling 

As we turn the calendar to a new year, we start the clock on a new vintage year for wines produced that are harvested from grapes during this calendar year.  I wrote this week about this milestone and the release of new labels with the vintage designation and the special attention afforded the new release of collector's labels. As part of my continued fun with, and study of wines, and the branding and packaging of such, see my blog on the annual release of Marilyn Merlot featuring an exclusive label photograph of the starlet actress Marilyn Monroe.

We're holding 1990
Mouton -
birth year wine of our
youngest son

No producer in the world captures the imagination or attention of wine collectors more than the premier first growth designated Chateau Mouton Rothschild with their annual series of artist and art inspired labels. 

There are a number of producers from around the world that have created an artist series of labels - one with images of the producer, one with artwork by the producer, ones with flowers, ducks, artist renderings of their winery and vineyards, or just collections of art in various forms. The is only one Mouton Rothschild who are the standard bearer extraordinaire for the practice.

Each year a renowned artist is commissioned to do the artwork for that vintage label. The featured artist is said to be paid ten cases of various vintages of the classic Chateau Mouton Rothschild for their work, which is significant since the wine can command close to a thousand dollars per bottle in top vintages.  

Many a collector can only dream of collecting a 'vertical' collection of the line of Mouton releases each with the unique release of a featured artist' dedicated work of art to adorn that vintage release of the wine. 

Mouton Rothschild labels have been produced by the world's most famous contemporary artists, Chagall (1970), Dali (1958), Picasso (1973), Miro (1969), Andy Warhol (1975), as well as other luminaries such as Prince Charles (2004) and Hollywood director John Huston (1982). Many other producers have established artist series, but there is only one Mouton Rothschild.

In 1945, Mouton patriarch Baron Philippe de Rothschild conceived the original idea of crowning the Mouton label with a work of art created for this purpose by famous artists: These have included paintings by Miró, Chagall, Braque, Picasso, Warhol, Bacon, Balthus, amongst others. Only 4 vintages have not had Artist's labels: 1953 which celebrated the initial purchase of the Mouton property, 1977 when the British Queen Mother stayed at Mouton and the Baron dedicated that year's vintage to her, 2000 where the label is enameled in gold with a reproduction of Jakob Schenauer's Augsburg Ram (see library), and 2003 which is devoted to Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild depicted in a period photograph celebrating the 150th anniversary of 1853 acquisition of the Mouton estate by the family (see library). 

Another interesting anomaly in the annual release occurred in 1993. The label by Balthus depicted a charcoal on parchment drawing of a young girl reclining in the nude. Since it is a frontal view, the label was considered inappropriate and was withdrawn from the US marketplace, replaced by a blank label variation with the  image removed against the background. I acquired and hold both versions in our collection. 

In my continued study of the art of Mouton label artists, I've created in my label library collection on my WineSite, comparative works of art showing the label art relative to other works of art by the featured artist. Shown in the collection at The Art Institute of Chicago is a print by Balthus featuring a young girl fully clad but in a highly seductive naughty pose. There is also a charcoal sketch by Balthus shown in the collection very similar to the label art that was removed - see Seated Girl, 1966 . 

Latest 2010 Mouton
release

We've just recently seen arrival of bottles of the 2010 release and its artistic label designed by American artist Jeff Koons (see left). This label is of interest since this vintage year is the birth year of our first grandchild and we're acquiring and assembling a special horizontal collection of select bottles from the year. 

In the coming months, we should see the arrival of Chateau Mouton Rothschild from the 2011 vintage with its artist inspired label. The latency in the release of the wine is due to the aging of the wine in barrels for an extended period of time before it is bottled and subsequently released, two to three years after the actual harvest. 

The 2011 label features brightly colored "sinuous, random" undulating shapes, in a style attributable to French artist Guy de Rougemont. Chateau Mouton Rothschild says the artwork encompasses "the clarity of vines in sunshine to the darkness of the cellars – all the stages of the birth of a great wine."

And with the new year also comes the recent announcement by the producer of their selection of the artist and art to adorn the 2012 vintage release label. So it is that the heralded Chateau recently announced the unveiling of the next vintage label with its special artwork.  

They recently revealed that the 2012 label (see below) was designed by Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barceló who used the château’s emblem, the ram, as a highlight and focal point for the work. The label features a watercolour abstract representation of two rutting rams standing on their hind legs set against a muted background of a green pasture amidst a blue sky and white clouds.  

1981 Mouton - our
daughter's birth year wine

Considered one of the most influential living Spanish artists, born in Felanitx, Majorca, the 57-year-old has had his work exhibited at the Paris Museum of Modern Art and the Louvre. He also works in sculpture, drawing, ceramics and cast iron, in addition to painting.

One of his most noted works, is the Miquel Barceló decorated ceiling of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, used by the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the Palace of Nations in Geneva. 

The work of art is a massive sculptural installation in the domed ceiling, officially presented to the United Nations by the Spanish government. The chamber was inaugurated by the King and Queen of Spain, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey, and Swiss president Pascal Couchepin. The massive 16,000 ft ² (1,500 m²) project used 100 tons of paint, took a year to produce and cost $23 million.

Our wine budget doesn't allow for acquiring Mouton with each vintage, only special years as 'special occasion' wines. Most wine consumers are limited to normal conventions of wine acquisition - every day wines, once a week or once a month wines, once a year wines, and once in a lifetime or special occasion wines. 

As the top first growth wines have escalated exorbinantly in price in recent years, they're exclusivity is limited to the well heeled few, or those acquiring special bottles for very special occasions. 

Such is the case of our collection of Mouton releases for special years such as the birth years of our kids. Even then, as those prices escalated upwards to $1000 or more per bottle, I thinned those collections to but a mere few single digit bottles. 

Shown left is the 1982 Mouton Rothschild, commemorative bottle of #1 son Ryan's birthyear! 

Shown herein are the labels of some of those special bottles. 

See my complete Mouton Label Library collection and study at  http://www.mcnees.org/winesite/labels/label_library_pages/French_wine_label_pages/MR-Lbls/Label_Library_Mouton_Rothschild.htm .

Happy New Year!

Mouton 2012 label featuring
art by Miquel Barceló

Mouton 2011 label featuring
art by Guy de Rougemont

1993 Mouton 'blank' label
with inappropriate image
removed