Dunham Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Dunham Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

We discovered Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon through Winebid, the online wine auction site. Over the years we've acquired close to a decade of vintages of this label through that vehicle. We've also acquired another Dunham label, Trutina, a Bordeaux Blend from Vin Chicago, a local merchant.  

We stopped by the tasting room during our Washington Wine Experience back in 2018 but it was a drive-by without a reservation and the place was packed. We didn't realize they had the Walla Walla facility and we failed to connect there while we were in town during our Walla Walla Wine Experience in 2018. 

Dunham was founded by Winemaker Eric Dunham. Eric started his career with a 6-month internship at Hogue Cellars in Washington, moving on as Assistant Winemaker at L'Ecole No. 41 in the Walla Walla Valley. With Winemaker Marty Clubb's blessing, Eric began making small lots of Dunham wine at L'Ecole with his first bottling the 1995 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon I.

After a few successful vintages with Dunham's receiving great acclaim, with some help from his parents, he set out on his own in warehouse space in an old WWII airplane hangar in Walla Walla. A couple of years later, David and Cheryll Blair were introduced to the Dunhams and joined the business to pursue their collective dream of making and pairing great wine with hospitality.

Part of the branding approach from that first vintage was to affix to each vintage the Roman Numeral of the numerical order of each release. Hence, this 2003 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon, the ninth vintage release, adorns IX on the label.

Dunham Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

For tasting with grilled burgers I pulled from the cellar this 2003 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon, the IXth successive release of this label. 

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Washington State Columbia Valley vineyards; Lewis Vineyard, Frenchtown Vineyard and Double River Estate Vineyard. It was aged in 60% French and 40% American Oak, 70% new oak and 30% used; 1955 cases were produced of this vintage release. 

At eighteen years of age, this was holding its own, showing no diminution of aging. 

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, a structured core of black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of spice, anise and black tea with hints of oak.

RM 89 points 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=287264

https://www.dunhamcellars.com/

Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux 2014

Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux 2014

Anne-Françoise Quié,
Owner of Château Croizet-Bages
at UGCB Chicago

I have had the pleasure of meeting Anne-Françoise Quié, owner of Château Croizet-Bages several years at the annual release tours of the UGCB tastings in Chicago.

Ever since, I have sought out the chance to acquire and to taste their labels including vintages of this fifth growth Grand Cru Bordeaux. Their other property, Château Rauzan-Gassies, a great growth of Margaux, seems to be more popular and more widely distributed and thus easier to obtain.

So it was that I was delighted to find a couple vintages of Château Croizet Bages at Binny's last weekend and I picked them up and was eager to taste them.

We drove by the estate property on the plateau of Bages, near Lynch-Bages and Grand Puy Lacoste, during our visit to the Pauillac area last year. The 30 hectare estate vineyards lie just off the highway, as you enter Pauillac from Saint Julien, there near the landmark Cordeillan Bages property on the Route D2 as you approach the city of Pauillac. We'll look forward to including it on our next trip to the region when our focus will be on Pauillac. 

According to the producer, Château Croizet Bages dates back to the early 18th century when the Croizet brothers, both members of the Bordeaux parliament, consolidated a number of small vineyard plots in order to form a wine estate in the famous hamlet of Bages, in Pauillac. The estate was designated among the fifth growths in the famous 1855 classification under the name of Château Croizet-Bages, which remains to this day.

Jean-Baptiste Monnot, an American citizen and owner of the famous Klaxon brand, acquired Croizet Bages soon after the First World War. He sold it to Paul Quié, owner of châteaux Rauzan-Gassies (a great growth of Margaux) and Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande, in 1942. Monsieur Quié undertook a renovation of the vineyard during the postwar period. This was completed by his son, Jean-Michel, who took over management in 1968. who continued to upgrade the vineyards and build a new winery and vinification facilities.

Ownership and management remains with the Quié family, Jean-Michel Quié is assisted by his children, Anne-Françoise and Jean-Philippe who took over the reins of the property in 2004.
 
 

Château Croizet Bages 5ème Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac, Bordeaux 2014

Antonio Galloni of vinous.com says "The 2014 Croizet-Bages is a gorgeous wine, not to mention a potential sleeper for the vintage", and rated it 91 points.

The blend is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon 28% Merlot 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.

We would've first tasted this label at the UGCB North American Release Tour tasting in 2017. 

Classic left bank Bordeaux characteristics, dark garnet color, medium bodied, dark berry fruits with notes of licorice and black tea, hints of graphite and cherry with pleasant approachable tannins on a graceful finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2075226

https://www.ugcb.net/en/chateau-croizet-bages

Sweet and tart with plums, earth and tobacco on the forefront with a conspicuous note of rusticity in the tannins surfacing in the end notes.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2014&wine=Ch%E2teau%20Croizet-Bages

Sweet and tart with plums, earth and tobacco on the forefront with a conspicuous note of rusticity in the tannins surfacing in the end notes.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=2014&wine=Ch%E2teau%20Croizet-Bages

Once & Future Napa Valley Petit Sirah 2017

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah 2017

I found this at Binny's and was intrigued to try it. Only 201 cases were made so its not surprising I had never seen or heard of the label before. Upon further research, they're known for producing Zinfandel. The premium packaging with the heavy bottle with its deep punt was impressive and we love Petite Sirah, a cousin of Sirah/Shiraz, an under represented varietal in Napa Valley, so, I took a chance and bought all six bottles in the store.

This was ideal for casual sipping on the deck with artisan cheeses and fresh hot-house Flavor-Bomb tomatoes.

Winemaker Joel Peterson says, "It's my opinion Napa would be famous for Petite Sirah if it weren't for Cabernet Sauvignon."

According to the Once & Future Website, "Up until the 1960s, Petite Sirah was the most widely planted grape variety in Napa Valley. The few examples show that grown in the right places it does very well producing bright expressive full bodied wines that can be even darker and spicier than Zinfandel, that other “California grape” from Europe. Those that produce the varietal offer a distinctive and interesting choice (not to mention, often with better QPR - quality price ratio) over the leading Napa grape varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon.'

One site ideally suited to Petite Sirah is the narrow riparian canyon just east of the town of Calistoga, at the foot of the magnificent Palisades cliffs. There, cobbly loamy soil of the alluvial fan with hot summers, cool westerly morning breezes, extended sunlight and adequate winter rainfall combine to provide the perfect terroir for exceptional concentration and depth.

Viticulture in the area dates back to 1878, when James Horn, a settler from Scotland, first planted grapes. In 1908, Italian immigrants Domenico and Gilda Barberis, planted more vines along Horn’s Creek. Seven years later, they established “Bonded Winery Number 118” on the site. Despite expanding capacity to more than 20,000 gallons, the winery didn’t survive Prohibition, closing down in 1932. The vineyard survived. however and they continued farming it until 1992. Domenico and Gilda’s son Frank planted Petite Sirah on St. George rootstock in 1968 through the mid-70s.

In the 90s the property was bought by Anne Carver and Denis Sutro who farmed the property, preserved the Petite Sirah, and, as importantly, preserved the Palisades by putting the 500 acres directly below the massif into a land trust.

In 2015 Felicia Woytak and her husband Steven Rasmussen, retained Jim Munk to take over, continuing the place’s traditional of dry farming and head-trained viticulture. Today they source the fruit for this Petite Sirah from those Palisades Vineyard dry-farmed, head-pruned, 44-year-old vines planted in bale loam. The winemaker is Joel Peterson.

Once & Future Wine Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah 2017

This label was awarded 92+ Points by Erin Brooks of The Wine Advocate. The 2018 Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah Napa Valley was awarded 96 pts by Vinous Antonio Galloni. The only Cellartracker reviewer gave it 93 points. 

This was aged in 100% French Oak, 30% new barrels.

This was opaque dark inky purple-black in color. Initially it was closed and tight but opened up after 30 to 45 minutes to full-bodied, firm, tightly wound black and blue fruits, floral notes with cassis, black tea, vanilla, with hints of black pepper and oak with a long gripping tannins on a moderate but lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3248253

https://www.onceandfuturewine.com/

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007

Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007 (Last posting for this label)

 

I pulled this from the cellar for enjoyable mid-week sipping with dinner. I often say that I can't afford to drink my own cellar. More to the point, I can't afford to replace my cellar. I write often about 'every day', 'once a week or month' and 'special occasion' wines. Here is an example where our investment in a deep cellar, after a period of time, we're holding a wine that we enjoy for once a day or week enjoyment, based on our purchase price, that would now be a once a month price point. 

Robert Craig represents one of the largest holdings in our cellar with his 'four mountains and a valley' represented with Cabernet Sauvignon from Craig sources on Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Mt Veeder, Atlas Peak and Napa Valley.  

The Affinity label is Craig's Bordeaux Blend with the predominant Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the various Craig vineyard sites. Our Cellartracker records show we hold twenty vintages of this label dating back to the inaugural vintage release in 1993.

I last wrote about this label vintage release six months ago, "this 2007 vintage release, twelve years old (now thirteen), not too old, not too young, but presumable just right for the occasion, probably at its apex but certainly will continue to be drinking nicely for several more years." 

We visited the Robert Craig estate winery high atop Howell Mountain on several occasions, including the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009, when we first tasted some of the 2007 vintage release labels from barrel and when we would have acquired this wine.

I wrote about Affinity and this release in a blogpost back earlier last year.

Since that time this wine has appreciated in value significantly from the release price we paid to the current selling price published at $89. This is largely due to the high ratings this release was awarded, 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and the fact that Craig has raised the price of this wine over the ensuring years. 

I wrote in a recent tribute to the recently departed Robert Craig, he used to say he took pride in holding the price point of this label so as to provide high QPR - Quality Price Ratio, the branding strategy innuring perceived value to the brand as a whole and this label in particular.  

We acquired our entire available allocation of single vineyard designated labels from Robert Craig for this vintage year and are being rewarded for their quality and value. Robert Parker said of this vintage, "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 gave this a 92 rating and said, "the ’07, Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s."

We still hold several cases across the portfolio for this vintage release. 

Bright garnet colored, medium-full bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits, nicely balanced and structured with hints of graphite, accents of currant, mocha, sweet oak and smoky cedar flavors, turning to smooth approachable finely ground tannins on a long, dry, spicy finish.

RM 92 points.

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

https://www.robertcraigwine.com/index.cfm

@RobertCraigWine

Columbia Crest H3 Les Chevaux Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend 2013

Columbia Crest H3 Les Chevaux Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend 2013

Its easy to find a superb drinking wine for $40. Its hard to find one for $25. Imagine a sophisticated complex pleasant drinking Red Blend for under $20. Buy it, try it, and go and get some more for high QPR (quality-price-ratio) every day drinking.

We opened this for casual easy shipping over the course of a couple evenings, comparing and standing up against several wines. For the price point, it held its own and stood up well against wines multiple times its price. 

I write often that buying wine for home consumption for a wine lover entails everyday wines, once a week wines, once a month wines, and special occasion or once a year wines. Here is a wine worthy of serving for special dinners and quests at everyday drinking prices.

The question I get asked more than any other is what is a high value quality drinking wine at everyday prices. This is such a wine - a 'Rick's Pick'.

Columbia Crest H3 wines is AVA designated wine from the Horse Heaven Hills. Les Chevaux is French for “the horses”, named for wild horses that once roamed the region. It is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Malbec with small portions of Cabernet Franc and a little Viognier red varietals from Horse Heaven Hills, in the Columbia Valley in Central Washington State. The wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels for around 22 months.

Wine Spectator gave it 90 points.

 This is great every day drinking but good enough to serve at a nice wine dinner as well. Its readily available as over 70,000 cases made. Amazing that they can produce this quality and value in such quantities.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm, concentrated, complex, dark berry and plum fruits with notes of dark mocha chocolate and leather with hints of licorice with nice approachable tannins on a supple finish.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2057908

Davis Estate Hungry Blonde Carneros Chardonnay 2016

Davis Estate Hungry Blonde Carneros Chardonnay 2016

For the kid's last night at home before returning back to the east coast, Linda served Halibut and grilled filets of beef with twice baked potatoes. We served one of our favorite drinking Chardonnays from the cellar, Hungry Blonde, which was a fun label to serve our two blonde future daughters-in-law.

We discovered this wine from the winelist at Fiora Restaurant in Geneva during a lunch outing there last summer. We liked it so much we went out and bought all the remaining inventory in local merchants, then special ordered the then new vintage release.

We love the distinctive taste profile of this full bodied, forward fruit filled Chardonnay. Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com  said of the the 2015 release of this wine, "There's 2000 cases of the 2015 Chardonnay Hungry Blonde, and it's one seriously good Chardonnay.  It's the real deal and will keep for 5+ years. At 30 bucks it's a killer value." He gave it 94 points.

James Suckling gave the 2016 90 points. "A chardonnay with plenty of butter, apricot, flan and bread dough. There is good density to this and the acidity gives some form and clarity'"

Davis Estate Hungry Blonde Carneros Chardonnay 2016

Winemaker notes for the 2016, "Our Hungry Blonde Chardonnay is the perfect expression of cool-climate Napa Valley Chardonnay from the Carneros region. Inviting aromas of lemon zest and white flowers make way for waves of bosc pear, Tahitian vanilla, and baked apple tart. All held together with fresh acidity and a supple texture inviting another sip."

According to Wine Country Connection, Hungry Blonde is made by the well known Napa producer Cary Gott. The fruit comes from the Poe Vineyard, which sits adjacent to the world renowned Hyde Vineyard. Larry Hyde’s HDV Chardonnay, sells for $60.

Straw colored, full bodied, a rich concentrated buttery flavors that resemble butterscotch, notes of vanilla, oak and citrus fruits, stone fruit and white flowers. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3289150

Branson Coach House Barossa Greenock Block Shiraz 2004

Branson Coach House Barossa Valley Single Vineyard Greenock Block Shiraz 2004

For casual sipping in front of a movie, the kids and Linda wanted a hearty flavorful Shiraz so I selected from the cellar this big bold Aussie Shiraz.

I discovered and tasted this wine with Wine Manager Bill and the Aussie wine buyer at the wine desk at Binny's in Glen Ellyn back upon release. I liked it so much I bought their entire allocation which was only a couple six packs.

This property was taken over by Two Hands after the passing of proprietor Malcolm Asden, the result being these wines are now made alongside Two Hands by their winemaker Matt Wenk. The acquisition was made possible by capital from outside foreign investors.

Along with the winery and brand came eighteen acres of Greenock vineyards planted in mature high quality Shiraz which will continue to be produced under the BCH label. Subsequently, Two Hands wine production is also done at the BCH Greenock facility.

They continue to produce BCH premium single vineyard designated labels Coach House Block Rare Single Vineyard and Greenock Block Single Vineyard Shiraz's sourced from the vineyards that surround the winery.

Tonight, even though my Cellartracker records show I am out of this label/release, I found two bottles left in the cellar, (in place of a different label/release from the same producer).

Now, at sixteen years of age, this is aging gracefully, but starting to show its age with slight signs of diminution of the fruits.

Upon opening it was slightly obtuse with a bit of an edge, but over the course of an hour it opened, softened and became more approachable.

Dark inky purple color, full bodied, thick, chewy layers of aromatic flavors of tangy black fruits, raspberry, black cherry and black currants, accented by tones of clove spice, graphite & hints of creme de cassis on a smooth polished moderate tannin finish.

RM 90 points, two points less than the last tastings back nearly four years ago on Aug 6, 2016 and then Oct 11, 2017. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=246545

Pahlmeyer Caldwell Vineyard Napa Valley Red Blend 1990

Pahlmeyer Caldwell Vineyard Napa Valley Proprietary Red 1990

For Fathers Day, after a golf outing with my three sons, we had a gala family dinner. Daughter Erin and her family were in Florida. With son Alec in from NYC we pulled from the cellar a birth-year vintage magnum of Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red for the occasion.

In a non-Covid world, we would've been drinking this bottle this week in celebration of Alec and Vivianna's wedding, but that event has been pushed back due to the travel and gathering restrictions in the NYC Tri-state area.

Linda prepared grilled striped sea bass, sea scallops, barbecue ribs with sweet corn, potato salad and wedge salad.

Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red is a classic Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, all sourced from the Estate Caldwell Vineyard.

Produced in limited quantities, each variety in the blend is harvested and held separately throughout fermentation and barrel aging. The lots are aged an average of 18 months in French oak Bordeaux barrels.

A successful trial attorney, Jayson partnered with John Caldwell, owner of a 55-acre site in south-east Napa Valley. Together, they began planting French clones of red Bordeaux varieties.

“All I wanted to do was to create my own ‘California Mouton’ – a rich, powerful Napa Valley Bordeaux blend, a wine that would drop wine lovers to their knees,” says Jayson Pahlmeyer.

After years of seeking assistance from viticultural professors at the University of Bordeaux who analyzed the soil samples, exposure, rainfall and temperature data, Jayson and his partner were able to acquire Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec vines and managed to smuggle their “suitcase clones” to the U.S. through Canada.

Planted in 1981, the French cuttings slowly adjusted. In 1986, with the help of Randy Dunn, one of California’s foremost winemakers, the Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red was made and launched.

Helen Turley took over winemaking in 1993 and further improved the quality and consistency of Pahlmeyer wines. Jayson’s daughter Cleo joined the team in 2008.

Today, the winemaker is Bibiana Gonzalez Rave. She received her oenology degree from the University of Bordeaux and has worked at estates in Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, Santa Barbara County, Sonoma Valley and other locations in addition to Napa Valley. She was named Winemaker of the Year for 2015 by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Pahlmeyer Caldwell Vineyard Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 1990

From magnum, the cork and fill level were perfect after thirty years of age, another indicator of the conditions in our cellar for proper aging.

Deep ruby/purple color, medium-full bodied, moderately complex, well-balanced ripe currant and black cherry fruits, aromas of smoke, cassis, tobacco and spicy oak, followed by full tannins and acidity on a lingering finish. At thirty years, I sense the fruits were starting to fall off a slight bit to give way to non-fruit acidic notes of tobacco and smoke.

Repeating notes of a fellow Cellertracker, JIMN, "Probably time to drink up in the normal format, but the Mags should hold well for another few years."

Like Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, I give this 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=332

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/