Thursday, January 24, 2019

UGCB 2016 Release Tour Chicago

UGCB North American 2016 Vintage Release Tour Chicago

The UGC Bordeaux' (Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB)), annual release tour visited Chicago this week unveiling/showcasing their 2016 vintage release wines. The Union is the association of 134 of the top premier estates from the most prestigious Bordeaux appellations. This year's North American tour visited New York, Toronto, Chicago, LA and San Francisco.
 
As in previous years, our 'Pour Boys' wine group helped host the event in Chicago at the Drake Hotel in the elegant grand ballroom (shown below). We work with the Balzac team preparing the room, checking in trade registrants, and standing in for producers pouring their wines. As has happened several times in recent years, several producer's were delayed in travel and we were called in to service to pour wines, hence our moniker, 'Pour Boys'.


Close to a hundred producers were represented at the event that was attended by over five hundred members of the trade, media and industry.

This annual roadshow is a marathon trek across North America by the producers and their representatives offering wine professionals and eonphiles the chance to meet the Bordeaux principles, winemakers and commercial directors. 


As I've written in previous years, we appreciate the investment in time and effort expended by the producers and winemakers to visit Chicago. It provides a wonderful opportunity to meet them firsthand and discuss their perspectives on their brand, approach to crafting their style, their history, businesses, and their vintages including, of course, the current release.


Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 

( Moulis-en-Médoc )
As a collector and holder of a significant collection of Bordeaux wines dating back four decades, I hold as many as a dozen vintages or more of some of these labels. Meeting the owners, family members, producer / winemaker / representative is a great privilege and offers a collector the chance to learn more about their investment and wines. As such, I tend to focus on and taste those wines that I know well and of which my wine buddies and I have holdings.

This was the ninth Bordeaux release event that I and my wine buddies assisted the team at Balzac Communications to work the event, helping with set up, logistics, and standing in to pour wine for any featured producers that were not able to attend in person. Earlier UGCB and related events are featured in earlier unwindwine blogposts


Again this year as in several earlier years, winter storms delayed or disrupted travel prohibiting some of the ambassadors to get to Chicago for the event, calling us to duty standing in, performing our duties as 'pour' boys.

This year's 2016 vintage was spectacular with several of the producer's having been awarded 100 points by the critics. I stood in for the Pauillac producers whose arrival was delayed by flight disruptions coming in from Toronto. It was a great honor to pour some of my absolute favorite wines: Chateau Lynch Bages, Chateau Longueville Baron, Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Grand Puy Ducasse. I also served Chateau Les Ormes de Pez. 

The Pichon Lalande and Lynch Bages were spectacular, both standouts of the tasting. There were so many great wines in this vintage release. As is the case in a great vintage, all boats rise with the tide. Great wines are tremendous, but in a great vintage, the lesser second and even third labels are also wonderful. These often provide substantial QPR - quality price ratio, especially when the premier first labels often escalate in price due to demand for such a vintage. 

These vintages offer great opportunities for folks to stock their cellars in super wines at great values since they can fill in with the second and third labels at substantial discounts to the first premier flagship label of the brand.  

Coralie Bernard,
Domaine De Chevalier
The event is sponsored by the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, (UGCB) under the leadership of President Olivier Bernard. It is hosted and orchestrated by Balzac Communications, boutique wine marketing and communications consultancy firm in Napa, under the leadership of Mike Wangbickler, President. Attending this year too was Paul Wagner, founder and President Emeritus of Balzac. Paul is a founding member of the Academy of Wine Communications and a leading member of the American Wine Society. It was great to see Paul enjoying his passion and remaining engaged whilst in retirement. 

The afternoon session is for the benefit of the press and trade and wine professionals. As is customary in Chicago, Binny's Beverage Depot, the wine superstore offers tickets to the evening session, open to their valued customers and the public. This year, over four hundred collectors and vinophiles registered for the event.

Scene's from this years' vintage release tasting.  

David Launay, Sales Director,
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse

Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 
Céline Villars-FOUBET, Owner, 

( Moulis-en-Médoc )
Chateau Chasse-Spleen has been managed by women for the past thirty years: Jacques Merlaut’s daughter, Bernadette Villars, starting in 1976, followed by her daughter, Claire, beginning in 1992, and now her sister, Céline, shown above.

Fellow 'Pour Boy' Ernie Summers

Christine Lurton-de Caix, Marketing
Manager for Château La Louvière
( Pessac-Léognan )
The always dapper Count Stephan von Neipperg,
Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, sans his signature scarf.
Representing eight centuries of family winegrowing tradition, Count Stephan von Neipperg (above) has succeeded in promoting Château Canon-La-Gaffelière to Premier Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion status.

Dany Rolland, wife of legendary winemaker Michel Rolland, co-founder of Rolland Collection family business, including Bordeaux laboratory specializing in wine analysis in the Right Bank town of Libourne.
Lise Latrille, Sales and Marketing Director,
  Château Prieuré-Lichine

 Ronan Laborde, Owner,


( Pomerol )
Loic Chanfreau, Chateau Fonreaud,
Sophie Solnicki-Thierry, Chateau Forcas-Hosten

Anne-Francoise Quié, family owner of
Châteaux Rauzan-Gassie
David Suire, Commercial Director
Rick serving Pichon Longueville Baron


Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Italian Village Wine Dinner

Italian Village Wine Dinner Features Two Classic Aged Vintage Release Labels

For an important business dinner we dined at Italian Village in the Chicago City Centre, our go to venue for such occasions. We had a private dining alcove, ideally suited for our business dinner. Wine Director, Jared Gelband (right w/ colleague Jeff L, touring the wine cellar), served up a classic pair of aged wines that perfectly matched our dinner selections, a eighteen year old legendary Super Tuscan Guado al Tasso from a classic vintage, and a thirteen year old Sangiovese, Vigna di Pianrosso

Count on the deep deep broad wine list of over 1200 labels to offer such a selection. What a treat! Two aged bottles drinking at their apex and capable of aging for another decade, if they would last that long.

Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore 2000

This is one of my favorites, a classic premium label from a historic vintage. This was a memorable bottle ideally suited to our dinner entree selections, especially my Veal Marsala with its brown sauce and angel hair pasta.

While this is an Italian wine, its Super Tuscan blend is French Bordeaux varietals - 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the remaining 10% Syrah with a mix of lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc and other red grape varieties.



Dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm structure but elegant and nicely balanced;  forward blackberry and black cherry fruits accented by mocha, expresso, tobacco and spicy clove with tones of mineral on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

This got 93 points from Wine Spectator,
93 points from Stephen Tanzer.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=12750


Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona "Vigna di Pianrosso" Brunello di Montalcino 2004


We finished with Sangiovese to match our Italian entree selections. Once again, the depth of the IV cellar presented a fourteen year old vintage release.

Dark ruby colored, full bodied and structured yet approachable, intense forward black raspberry, black cherry and plum fruits, floral tones turning to earthy eather, dark spices, minerals turning to round smooth silky tannins on a long finish.


RM 92 points. 

The Pianrosso from proprietor Paolo Bianchini. Ciacci’s Pianrosso is an old-vines selection that spent 36 months in Slavonian oak.

92 points Wine Spectator
91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=626465

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

Monday, January 14, 2019

Quilt Napa Chardonnay 2016

Quilt Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016

I picked this up for a moderate priced, easy drinking, casual sipper. We opened it for holiday dinner and found it uninspiring and it was hardly touched ... set the remaining 2/3 bottle aside in the fridge for several days and pulled it out again and found it remarkably enjoyable. It's generally available at ~$30, relative to its 'published or release price of $35, it can be found in discounters for $27.

The Quilt label is named as the wine is "From A Patchwork of Prime Napa Valley Vineyards". This is a project of Joe Wagner, son of legendary Chuck Wagner of Caymus fame. Joe's signature is noted on the label. 

As mentioned above, it was much better the second time around for this bottle, reopening several days later, it was much more settled and enjoyable.

Quilt Napa Valley Chardonnay 2016

The Winemaker's Notes 

"A medium-bodied wine offering a complexity of flavors and a silky texture. Aromas of Fuji apple, buttery and toasty oak, honey dew melon and Meyer lemon are supported and lifted by flavors of apple tart, caramelized pineapple, buttered toast, salty popcorn, lemon curd and melon. The finish is long and satiny."

I found it light straw colored, medium bodied, with only slightly moderate complexity, but nicely textured, the initial notes of subdued melon, tart apple and buttery toasty oak gave way on the second tasting to a interesting, hedonistic predominant tone of subdued butterscotch, rather one-dimensional, but very appealing.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2927737

https://quiltwines.com/

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay for Raymes Seafood Dinner

Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay for Raymes Lisle Seafood dinner

Friday night out for a casual dinner we dined at Raymes Steak and Fish House in Lisle (IL), blocks from where I got off the train commuting home from the city. While Raymies is the primary fine dining restaurant in all of Lisle we have only dined there a few times in the decades we've lived in town.

Readers of these pages know we place a high emphasis on wine as part of our dining experience. Raymes have a minimalist, barely adequate wine list, and as such, we had not planned ahead so as to bring a bottle BYOB so we ordered from their winelist. Indeed, they promote themselves as 'Home of the King Sized Cocktail', and their logo even features a martini glass. So it shouldn't come a surprise that this is not a wine oriented restaurant. Hence, one of the reasons we don't frequent there. Based on this evening's experience, though, we will definitely return, presuming we can arrange BYOB to accompany the dinner.

Raymies Seafood Special - Grilled Sea Bass in lemon butter
This was our first time in the 'new' Raymes, totally rebuilt from the ground up on the location of the old restaurant on the site along the commuter rail blocks from downtown and the commuter station.

The new restaurant is open, airy and cosmopolitan in its black furniture contrasting the white tablecloths on the tightly packed grid of tables. When we arrived for early dinner at 530 we got the last window table and the dining room was wide open. By 700 the dining room was full at this point was lively and boisterous but not excessively noisy.

The American style menu has a great selection for our tastes; steaks, chops, ribs, meatloaf, pot roast and a great seafood selection with a half dozen entrees. Entrees come with potatoe or rice, soup or salad and a basket of fresh hot bread. The seafood special was Grilled Sea Bass served in basic lemon and butter. Other choices included Lump Crab Cakes, Sea Scallops, Grouper in crusted parmesan, and fresh water selections Blue Gill or Walleye.

We opted for the Grilled Sea Bass, Scallops, Crab Cakes and the Grouper. To accompany our entree selections we chose from the wine list the Cakebread Chardonnay which was an ideal compliment to the fresh seafood selections.

We tasted the Reserve version of  this wine during our private tasting at the Cakebread Cellars Estate during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018. This is a popular restaurant wine, quality, dependable, a well known brand that is widely available so as to be a safe and easy choice fpr consumers. For our taste and preference, it was the only premium selection on the wine list that offered only three wines at pricepoints of $30, $50 and the Cakebread at $75, winelist prices based on ~2 times retail.

Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay 2014

This is a French-inspired elegant wine with a bit more acid and mineral quality than the big fuller bodied oak infused buttery style commonly produced in California. Almost clear, light almond colored, medium bodied, crisp, clean, predominate lemon citrus tones laced with minerals and stone fruit.

RM 89 points. 

This is sourced from 91% Carneros district and 9% Napa Valley fruit. Grapes grown in the cool-climate Carneros district at the southern tip of the valley are subject to fog and cooling breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay. Hence, Carneros typically has a long growing season that ripens the fruit fully while retaining the bright acidity that gives Chardonnay freshness and vitality. Added to the Carneros fruit is grapes from warmer sites further up the valley that yield a bit riper, fuller chardonnay, the combination resulting in richer, more elegant and complex chardonnay, but not the fuller, highly oaked, big buttery fruit bombs that are predominantly Napa Valley fruit from the hotter upper reaches of the area.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2220445

https://www.cakebread.com/

http://raymessteakhouse.com/

Raymes Lump Crab Cakes and Asparagus



Raymes Sea Scallops Appetizer
Raymes, Lisle, IL - Lincoln Hwy (Rt 53) at Burlington



Friday, January 11, 2019

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Most visitors to Napa Valley have driven past the Whitehall Lane Winery on St Helena Highway in the Rutherford appellation just south of St Helena. The property has been owned and operated by Tom Leonardini and his family since they acquired Whitehall Lane Winery in March of 1993. Today the operations are managed by Tom, his wife and their five children.

We hold Whitehall Lane Napa Valley wines dating back to the turn of the century - Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Estate and Reserve. We too have passed by the Estate and Winery on St Helena Highway in Rutherford dozens of times during our trips to Napa Valley so this trip we decided to visit there during our Napa Valley Wine Experience 2018.


We tasted a flight of the Whitehall portfolio and acquired a selection of their current flagship Whitehall Lane Mancino Lanciatore Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 as well as
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Syrah and their Petit Verdot from the 2014 vintage.


So when we went to the cellar to pull a Napa Cabernet to drink with a grilled steak dinner, I pulled this ten year old Whitehall Lane Napa Cab from the 2004 vintage.

The 2004 Napa Cabs were generally solid, dense, ripe Cabernets with plenty of power, richness, and longevity. It was an early harvest that was compact and proceeded at a rapid pace, with most growers finished by the end of September. Overall it was an excellent vintage that yielded superb, full-bodied, ripe, and powerful wines that were built to last.

The joy of a wine cellar is to drink wines over time and watch how they age and to enjoy them when they are seemingly at their peak. This label at ten years is probably at its apex, not likely to improve any further with aging, yet ageworthy to probably remain at this level for another five and perhaps ten years.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, nicely balanced, smooth and polished blackberry, currant and cherry fruits accented by notes of spicey oak turning to velvety tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

This got 91 points from Wine Enthusiast.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=292799 




https://whitehalllane.com/








Saturday, January 5, 2019

Nine Hats Columbia Valley Red Wine 2016

Nine Hats Columbia Valley Red Wine 2016

Following our visit to Long Shadows in Woodinville (Washington) during our Woodinville Wine Experience, last fall, having acquired, received and tasting several Long Shadows labels, I was surprised and delighted to see Long Shadows Nine Hats Red Wine in the local Malloys wineshop in Lisle (Illinois).

I've chronicled that visit and several of those tastings in these pages, the portfolio of signature wines, each produced by a legendary, notable winemakers. This label was here-to-fore undiscovered, and at a price point near $20, a fraction of the price of those wines. Hence, this is in a different class and category but I snatched up a bottle to try and compare in any event.

I thought this was an unspecified Red Blend, sourced from the Columbia Valley. Naturally, at a dramatically lower price point, this is an every day wine vs a once a week or once a month, or special occasion wine, depending on one's budget. According to Cellartracker holdings, this is the tenth vintage release for this wine, dating back to 2007.

On further review, the Nine Hats website showcases a portfolio of no less than eight different labels in this family of wines. 

Nine Hats Columbia Valley Red Wine 2016

My initial suspicion was that this was most likely produced from the fruit left over after careful selection for the premium labels, and as such, the blend would depend on the availability and quantity of the excess fruit. Hence, the terroir or source from the grapes and the composition of blend is subject to change from vintage to vintage.

On further investigation of the Nine Hats website, this is specified as a blend comprised of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 25% Syrah - the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Benches Vineyard at Wallula in the Horse Heaven Hills appellation 'providing a sturdy backbone and long, pure finish'.

Never-the-less I found this naturally less refined, polished or balanced than those more premium labels.

Bright garnet colored, medium bodied, pronounced red berry and currant fruits with notes of cranberry, dusty rose, with hints of mocha, cedar and camphor. A bit flabby and obtuse, but with bright fruit sprites that begs for lively pizza, pasta, cheese or meats. A decent but not substantial value.

RM 85 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2956065

http://ninehatswines.com/


Thursday, January 3, 2019

Force Majeure Collaboration Series Syrah and Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Force Majeure Collaboration Series Syrah and Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Sis Dr Pat visiting for the holiday, the kids and g-kids came over to visit with the cousins. We shared details and showed pictures of our recent trip to Walla Walla (Washington) wine country and our visit to Force Majeure Vineyards. So, we opened this Force Majeure Syrah to commemorate the trip, for sipping with cheese and fruit plates. Ryan brought over this Mollydooker Carnival of Love to go along.

After meeting Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016, we acquired a selection of Force Majeure Columbia Valley and Walla Walla wines. That set up our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018 this fall to see the appellation and their vineyards and in-process new winery.

Force Majeure Collaboration Series VII Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain 2013

When we met with Todd and Carrie, they told us about the Red Mountain appellation, the smallest in Washington State, but perhaps one of the most select for Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. They also talked of their work in Walla Walla, developing Estate vineyards there, and building a new winery production and hospitality facility.

This vintage release predates Todd's arrival and work at Force Majeure, but it did introduce us to the appellation and terroir driven fruit from there.

This label was produced by Chris Peterson (of Avennia) and was the only vintage of this cuvee that was be made since they have since moved to all estate bottlings.

This 2013 release Collaboration Series VII was a blend of Red Mountain fruits, 96% Syrah, 2% Viognier and 2% Roussanne.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, concentrated and rich black berry and black cherry fruits accented by a layer of chalky minerality with notes of tobacco leaf, pepper, wild herbs, and hints of anise aromas and flavors with firm but approachable smooth tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points. Wine Advocate gave this wine 96 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2323417

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/

Mollydooker "Carnival of Love" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia 2012 

Ryan brought over this big full throttle Shiraz from Mollydooker. At eight years old, it provided an interesting comparison tasting of two diverse styles from two disparate regions of similarly aged Syrahs (Shiraz').  

This is deep purple-black in color, full bodied, powerful, rich, concentrated forward ripe black berry, black raspberry and blue berry fruits with a layer of creme de cassis, anise and dried herbs with notes of lavender and dark mocha with tongue coating firm, structured, lingering tannins on the very long finish.

This is 100% single vineyard sourced Shiraz.

RM 93 points, This got 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and from Wine Spectator, and was their #2 on the Top 100 Wines of 2014.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1773715

https://www.mollydookerwines.com.au/default.aspx

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Festive Holiday Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

Festive Holiday Dinner at Hemingway's Bistro Oak Park

For son Alec's last night at home for the holidays before returning to NYC, we normally would've dined out at his 'alma mater' restaurant where he worked through high school and college, Angelis Italian, our favorite neighborhood Italian Trattoria. Instead, we opted for another favorite Hemingway's Bistro in Oak Park. We were accompanied by Sean and Michelle.

To accompany our authentic Provencal cuisine, I took a Bordeaux Blend from the cellar, Pirouette from Washington State Long Shadows, crafted by Frenchman turned California and subsequently Washington State winemaker, Philip Melka.

We're long time fans of the work of Philip Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker. He collaborates with Long Shadows to craft this label from small lots sourced from Washington State's finest vineyards. We visited Long Shadows during our Woodinville, Washington Wine Experience this summer where we tasted and acquired the current release of this label. Tonight we drank a fourteen year old 2004 vintage release.

Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of seven ultra-premium Columbia Valley wines showcasing the viticulture of the growing region and features internationally acclaimed winemakers who inspired them.

Founded in 2003 by Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup, the Long Shadows project is based on the collaboration of notable winemakers from around the world, each known for a particular varietal based wine. Each vintner was given access to Washington State's best grapes and a winery to accommodate their exacting cellar specifications. The imaginative project has been an immense success and the wines have received critical acclaim vintage after vintage. Long Shadows has collectively  won numerous awards, including recognition as Food & Wine magazine's "Winery of the Year."

Philippe Melka is the creator of Pirouette, his first wine from Washington State, as he normally hails from Napa Valley where he is involved in cult favorites Hundred Acre, Seavey Vineyard, Dana Estates and Vineyard 29, as well as his own branded namesake labeled wines. Robert Parker Jr. wrote in the March 2013 issue of Food and Wine magazine, "Anything associated with (his) name is of undeniably high, high quality."

Melka had worked with Quintessa owner Agustin Huneeus, Sr. who introduced him to Allen Shoup and Long Shadows. Huneeus was a longtime friend of Shoup and became the first vintner to embrace Allen's vision for Long Shadows. He introduced Philippe as the perfect winemaker to craft the Bordeaux blend both he and Allen envisioned.

Philippe was born and educated in Bordeaux, earning a master's degree in agronomy and enology. He learned the trade and honed his skills at some of the world's most famous wineries including Château Cheval Blanc, Petrus and Château Haut-Brion, where he developed his passion for cabernet-based blends, like Pirouette. 

For our first course selections we drank from the winelist Louis Roederer NV Champagne with the Lobster Bisque, Foie Gras du jour and salads.

Hemingway's is known for a selection of fresh seafoods and most of us followed suit. Linda ordered the Striped Sea Bass, Alec had the diver sea scallops, Sean and Michelle had the crusted whitefish and I had the strip steak au poivre' entrees.

For dessert, Linda shared the chocolate souffle and I had the trio of sorbets, black raspberry, mango and strawberry. 


Long Shadows Pirouette Red Wine Blend 2004

I brought this Bordeaux Blend to accompany my Strip Steak aux poivre'.  While it is a blend of Bordeaux varietals Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, it also contains a percentage of Syrah. It seems the Syrah almost predominated with a residual sweetness un-befitting the blend. The blend is 49% Cabernet, 37% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot and 11% Syrah. It is showing no signs of diminution from aging at fourteen years and seems to still be at the apex of its drinking window.

The cork came apart on opening so the server had to decant this and strain it to remove the crumbled cork and residual sediment. Bright ruby colored, medium-full bodied, vibrant, rich concentrated forward black and blue fruits with highlights of black cherry, notes of cassis, spice and hints of cedar and creosote giving way to sweet almost obtuse bing cherry notes on the tangy lingering finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=317596

http://www.longshadows.com/

 http://www.hemmingwaysbistro.com/









Friday, December 28, 2018

Maison L’Envoyé Attaché Pinot Noir

Maison L’Envoyé Attaché Pinot Noir 2012

Ryan brought this Pinot Noir over for Christmas dinner to accompany baked ham, candied yams, zuchini and cauliflower casserole.

This label, Maison L’Envoye Attaché is a project of film producer turned vintner, Mark Tarlov, founder, who was recently written up as one of the 9 People You Need To Know In American Wine Right Now. He gained notoriety in the Pinot Noir wine world with the success of Evening Land, which he co-founded and launched in 2007.

Now, Mark’s latest project, Maison L’Envoye is crafting Burgundian varietal wines focused on regional identities sourced from growers in proximity to some of the world's great producers.

Originating in Burgundy, Maison L’Envoyé crafts wines of Burgundian varietals - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay Noir. Terroir-driven Pinot Noir is the flagship. Searching the world’s finest Pinot Noir sites around the globe, Maison L’Envoyé sources fruit from Burgundy, Willamette Valley in Oregon, Otaga Valley in New Zealand and Tasmania. They work with family owned growers who have farmed their vineyards for decades or generations, some in proximity to illustrious neighbors. Maison L’Envoyé was launched in 2014 and was immediately cited by Wine & Spirits naming it a ‘Winery To Watch’ in 2015. 

Maison L’Envoyé Attaché Pinot Noir 2012
 
This label was crafted by Consulting Winemaker Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, it is comprised of 100% Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley. The valley formed by the Willamette River is sheltered from inclement weather by the western Coastal Range and the eastern Cascade Range. The grapes are sourced primarily from Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge and the Eola-Amity Hills appellations.

The Attaché release is a barrel selection culled from both alluvial and volcanic vineyard sites. The wine was matured for ten months in French oak barriques, 20% of which were new.

Readers of this blog know I am not a Pinot guy, but I loved this wine. It's a Pinot for Pinot-philes as well as non-Pinot drinkers. Perhaps it was the ideal match with the baked ham and candied yams that I liked this so much. In any event it was delicious.

Garnet colored, light medium bodied, sprites of black cherry, bright raspberry and black currant fruits accented by mineral, dusty rose, vibrant spices and what the winemaker cites as 'hints of sassafras and gravel' turning to a silky smooth lingering finish with notes of sweet oak.

REM 93 points; this label was awarded 94 points by Wine Spectator, 94 points from Wine & Spirits, and 92 points by Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2045380

https://www.maisonlenvoye.com/


Thursday, December 27, 2018

Taken Wine Co Taken Napa Red

Taken Wine Co. Taken Napa Valley Red Wine 2011

Looking for a casual sipping wine with Alec, visiting from NYC for the holiday, he asked for a Cab so we pulled this hearty Cabernet from the cellar. This was a fitting selection as I first discovered and acquired this wine when visiting Alec in Hoboken a couple summers ago.

This label Taken from Taken Wine Co., is the project of two friends,  next generation wine producers raised in Napa Valley in well known wine families - Josh Phelps and Carlo Trinchero. This is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot from  unnamed sources in non-specified proportions. It is packaged in a large heavy bottle with etched circle logo on the front and painted text befitting an expensive premium offering, offered at a moderate $30 range price-point representing appropriate QPR - quality price ratio. Acording to the rear painted information, "The circle (logo branding) represents the path we have Taken back home."

While the 2011 release doesn't measure up to the 2012, it is still a nice drinking wine and is a great value at this price point. Not as polished, full, concentrated or balanced as the '12. Its not the '11 is bad, that's how good or better the '12 is.

This is a big forward obtuse wine that begs for hearty bar-b-cue, pasta, pizza or cheese.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant tangy cherry and plum fruits offset by a layer of dusty leather and tangy clove spice with a moderate subtle tannin on the lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1810926

https://www.takenwine.com/




 

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Gala Holiday Dinner features Napa Cab Pairings

Gala Holiday Dinner features Napa Cab Pairings

 We hosted a holiday dinner with 'Pour Boy' wine buddy Dr Dan and Linda, neighbors Mark and Shirley and colleague Rick and wife Debbie. Linda prepared her classic beef tenderloin with scalloped potatoes and haricot verts and a dinner salad and fresh baked bread. We were joined later with Sean and Michelle.

Dan brought this one of a kind Special Barrel Selection 25th Anniversary release Cabernet Sauvignon from Saddleback Cellars aptly named 'Nils' for founder, patriarch and Napa winemaker legend Nils Venge. He also brought a 1996 vintage Brunello Montalcino. Ironically I had just been down in the cellar seaching for tonight's dinner wines and came across and considered a 1996 Saddleback Cellars Oakville Cabernet, essentially the same wine  as the Nils. So, this bottle provided both a vertical (multiple vintages of the same wine) comparison tasting of this label, and a mini-horizontal comparison(multiple wines from the same vintage) tasting of two same aged vintage wines, 1996.

For a further horizontal and near vertical comparison tasting, I also pulled a 1996 release of Paradigm Napa Cabernet, another Oakville appellation wine. Extending the vertical theme / approach, we later also opened a 2004 release of the Paradigm (albeit a 2006 would've completed the symmetrical comparisons).

Rick and Debbie noticed my extensive collection of Del Dotto wines and commented on their memorable visit to the Del Dotto Estate Cellar Tour and Barrel tasting. Hence, we pulled a couple of Del Dotto wines to complete our tasting flight for the evening, a vintage 1997 Cabernet Franc, and a Piazza Del Dotto Petit Verdot. 

For the appetizer course, Mark brought a selection of artisan cheeses and shrimp cocktail hors d'oeuvres, We served a vintage Champagne and pair of Sauvignon Blancs including our favorite, Cliff Lede.

Somewhere during our wine talk over dinner the conversation turned to Negociant wines and private labels. Dan and Linda were just returned from Thanksgiving weekend and wine tasting at the Inn at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. They talked of their two million bottle wine sales, the majority sourced from Northern California fruit and juice. I pulled a Ninety+ Cellars Lot 150 Cabernet Sauvignon as a classic fun example of such wines. More below.

Wines w/ shrimp cocktail hors d'oeuvres course -
Michel Gonet Blanc de Blancs Champagne 2009

Wines with artisan cheeses and salad course:
Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Whitehaven Winemakers Select Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Red wines flight:
Saddleback Cellars Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
Saddleback Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Nils Special Barrel Selection 25th Anniversary 2006
Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Ninety+ Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 150 2013
Del Dotto Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Franc 1997 
Del Dotto Piazza Napa Valley Rutherford Petit Verdot 2015
Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello de Montalcino 1996 

Michel Gonet Blanc de Blancs Champagne 2009

This is a vintage Champagne, as opposed to a common NV (non-vintage) blend of several vintages. 

The Michel Gonet family have been producing wine for 7 generations, since 1802. Michel Gonet expanded and improved the winery in 1973. He has since retired and turned winemaking over to daughter Sophie Signolle who manages Champagne production. She is President of Women Winegrowers of Champagne and also "l' Universe du Gout en Champagne."

The family owns 40 hectares (about 80 acres) of vineyards stretching south from the city of Epernay on the Côte des Blancs, part of which is the finest classified Grand Cru vines located in Avize, Mesnil sur Oger and Oger, the most renowned terroirs of Champagne. The vineyards' are of the finest terroir in Champagne with exceptional climate, protected by the mountain of Reims from the cold North winds and rainfalls in the Marne valley. The characteristically chalky sub-soil combines with ideal exposure to the sun. This Blanc de Blanc is composed of Chardonnay which is 80% of Gonet production. The remaining is Pinot Noir used to produce Blanc de Noir Champagne.

We visited the area during our Champagne Wine Experience back in 2006


Cliff Lede Estate Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2015

This is the latest release of one my favorite Sauvignon Blancs. Light straw colored, medium-light bodied, harmonious nicely balanced layers of subdued citrus, peach, pear and lychee fruit with a refreshing crisp clean, smooth acidity finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2324460

 
Saddleback Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Nils Special Barrel Selection 25th Anniversary 2006

We first met Nils Venge back in the mid-nineties when he was winemaker for Del Dotto Vineyards and Winery. We visited Nils at the Penny Lane Estate and vineyard back in 2001 when we acquired a selection of Venge Vineyards and Saddleback wines.

I was not aware of this label and was delighted that Dan discovered this and acquired some to bring and share for our dinner.

This was dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied with full forward black berry and black cherry fruits accented by notes of spice, black tea, leather, and dusty rose with full smooth silky tannins on the finish.

RM 93 points.





Saddleback Cellars Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

To compare with the Nils 2006 special release above, we opened this 1996 Saddleback Oakville Napa Cabernet. Initially a bit tight and closed, we decanted and aerated this bottle and it opened a bit more and reveal its native character and fruits over the course of the next hour.

The two Saddleback wines had remarkable similarity, being potentially the same wine but ten years removed. They showed the same basic profile and character but the '96 showed darker blackish garnet with slight hints of gray color, the same fruit profile albeit slightly subdued, accented by the same notes above of smoke, dusty leather, earth and tea.

RM 89 points.  


To compare with the '96 Oakville Napa Cab above, we also opened this Paradigm Cabernet from the same appellation and same vintage.



Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 1996

This provided an interesting comparison with the other '96 Oakville Cabernet sitting side by side. This wine had the same color and body as above. We also decanted and aerated this bottle which accentuated its bouquet and flavors which emerged further after about thirty minutes. The Paradigm showed fewer aromatics and more subdued fruit than the Saddleback above, but opened a bit more over the next hour. 

We tasted and acquired this wine during a winery visit back in 1999.

My wine tasting notes for this label from back in 2009. "This wine is showing its age, probably beyond its apex, or any chance for improvement, but still within the drinking window. Showing some diminution of fruit, giving way to non-fruit charcoal and earth tones, yet, revealed some of its native fruit character at some point during the evening.'

"I opened, decanted and then rebottled and recorked this wine an hour before setting out for the restaurant. Upon decanting it released huge aroma's of berry fruits and some floral. After opening for serving the fruit was a bit muted for almost an hour before revealing black berry and hints of sweet black raspberry, giving way to a layer of charcoal, anise and spice. Tannins were moderate on the lingering finish. This wine is still showing okay but should be consumed over the next few years."

http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/08/vintage-napa-reds-vs-bold-barolo.html
 
Ninety+ Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 150 2013

Dan and Linda spent Thanksgiving weekend visiting the Inn at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina where they tasted Estate and other private labeled wines. They produce two million bottles per year although only a fraction are from grapes grown locally. The remaining majority are sourced from Northern California fruit and juice. 

We talked about Ninety+ Cellars who produce a large portfolio of wines, sourced from numerous producers and growners from around the globe. Each label is named with a unique 'Lot' number indicating the source and vintage release. This is done to anonymize the source typically acquired under non-disclosure agreements to maintain their secrecy, since they don't want to be revealed and thereby conflict with their brands. 

In this particular case, Lot 150 Cabernet Sauvignon, 'sparklers' were acquired, the name given for bottles of wine already filled but not yet labeled. The labels are applied last to avoid them being torn, stained or soiled during storage or shipping. In this case, labels were not yet applied as the wine as sold to a third party private label marketer who applied their own labels accordingly. The issue was that they had already corked the bottles with branded corks identifying the source producer, undermining their quest for secrecy or confidentiality. Only upon opening the wine is the originator source revealed! One of the reasons for seeking anonymity is that often, as in this case, the private label wine is half the price of the original source producer label, providing great QPR (quality price ratio).

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm structured backbone, complex concentrated blackberry and black currant fruits with layers of firm bone dry tannins with notes of oak, spice, hints of dark mocha, anise, leather and dust. Needs a bit more time to settle and not for the feint of heart with the rock hard tannins but if you like that style (which I do) then this is a great find at a good QPR (quality price ratio) value. This is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot aged 22 monthsin French Oak. As noted by others, and in my blogpost (url below), and my label/cork picture submission, the source for this wine is Spring Mountain Vineyards.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/01/ninety-plus-cellars-lot-150-spring-mtn.html

Del Dotto Napa Valley Rutherford Cabernet Franc 1997 

We served this Cabernet Franc to compare against similarly aged Cabernet Sauvignons to contrast the different character of the Bordeaux varietals where Cab Franc is introduced into the Blend for spice, breadth and depth alongside the firmer Cabernet Sauvignon and the softer Merlot. We chose Del Dotto that Rick and Debbie visited during their trip to Napa Valley. This is one of the last remaining bottles we acquired on release back in the late nineties.

Consistent with tasting notes from two years ago, "Tonight's tasting was more consistent with notes from a few years ago, dark ruby color, medium to full body, spicy black berry and black currant fruits are still vibrant in this nineteen year old, accented by tones of earthy leather, cedar and tobacco with hints of anise on the smooth tannin finish."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/12/del-dotto-napa-gio-and-cab-franc-1997.html

Del Dotto Piazza Napa Valley Rutherford Petit Verdot 2015

We tasted and acquired this wine as part of the during our Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience Tasting at the winery during our Napa Wine Experience this summer. 

Like the Del Dotto Cabernet Franc above, we served this Petit Verdot to compare against similarly aged Cabernet Sauvignons to contrast the different character of the Bordeaux varietals where Petitot Verdot is introduced into the Blend for backbone, structure and color, as well as further breadth and depth, alongside the primary core Cabernet Sauvignon and or  softer Merlot.

Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, nicely balanced, firm forward concentrated black berry and black cherry fruits, with notes of mocha, spice and hints of pepper spice with smooth lingering tannins. 




Later Dan and Sean and the girls opened this vintage release '96 Brunello which rounded out our horizontal tasting of that release.

Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello de Montalcino 1996 

Dan brought this to our wine tasting this summer too. This is 100% Sangiovese for very pleasant easy drinking - ideal for food or hearty cheeses.

Garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of earth tones, tobacco box and sweet brown spices with a tangy long spicy finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=637618

More to follow ...