Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve

Del Dotto Giovani's Tuscan Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese Blend 2002

People often ask me how one learns about tasting wines with all its variations, and I jokingly reply, practice, practice, practice (See my Wine Tasting 101). More seriously, perhaps I should say focus, focus, focus. Since most folks, like me have limited resources, time, money, and opportunities to taste wines, focusing on one country, region or even appellation will help develop a vocabulary and familiarity with a particular wine type, style, region, varietal and even vintage.

Readers of this blog know we collect and favor Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) from the US and France, and to a lesser degree Shiraz. That said, we do not collect or focus on Italian varietals or producers. Hence, for lasagna dinner at home, we pulled from the cellar this Sangiovese (Italian varietal) blend from California Napa Valley.

We have about a decade of vintages in our horizontal collection of this label. I've written about Nils Venge and Del Dotto and their venturing into the Italian Sangiovese varietal in Napa Valley. Del Dottto were the featured wine producer of several of our Napa Valley Wine Experiences during the mid to late nineties and after the millenium.

This Sangiovese based blend is named after the Del Dotto's first born son, Giovanni. I remember first discovering this wine and buying it at the Wine Stop wine shop in Burlingame near SFO back in the mid-nineties, and then obtaining more from the producer over the years. I recall the early releases of this label came in 500ml bottles rather than normal 750's. Del Dotto remain one of our favorite Napa producers whose wines from their early days continue to impress with their longevity and endurance. True to that style, there remains much life in this twelve year old.

This 2002 is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon and exhibits dark garnet color, medium to full body with the full forward, complex tight black fruits masked by tones of smoke and charcoal before giving way to aromatic floral and bright tangy black cherry fruits with spicy, firm tannins on the aromatic, lingering finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=289974&searchId=17744031

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

Constant Cab Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

Constant Cabernet Franc and Eileen Hardy Shiraz

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

The four of us with J&B and Freddie Constant

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

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

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

Constant Diamond Mountain Estate Vineyards

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

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

Constant Diamond Mountain Winery Diamond Mountain District Estate Cabernet Franc 2007

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

RM 93 points. 

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

WCC 92 points.

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

http://www.constantwine.com/


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RM 89 points.

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

http://hardyswines.com/us/

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Shiraz 1997

Rosemount Estate McLaren Vale Balmoral Syrah 1997

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

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

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


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

RM 87 points.

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

Killikanoon Clare Valley Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Killikanoon Clare Valley Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

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

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

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

RM 91 points.

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

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

Northstar Columbia Valley Merlot 2003

Northstar Columbia Valley Washington Merlot 2003

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

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

RM 89 points.

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

https://www.northstarwinery.com/

Bogle Zinfandel Blends for Bar-B-Q

Bogle Zinfandel Blends for Bar-B-Q Dinner

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

Bogle Vineyards "Phantom" Red Wine Blend 2009 

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

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

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

RM 88 points.

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


http://www.boglewinery.com/

Bogle 'Essential Red' Zinfandel Blend 2012

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

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

RM 89 points.

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

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

Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Wine 2002

Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Wine 2002

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

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

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

RM 93 points.

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

Pollak Vineyards Monticello Meritage 2010

Pollak Vineyards Virginia Monticello Meritage 2010

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

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

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

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

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

RM 87 points.

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

http://www.pollakvineyards.com