Category Archives: Wine by Varietal

October 11, 2014 · 9:01 PM

2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Conn 160043

Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

California, Napa Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

Drank over a four hour decant. Nose after pour is full of menthol and alcohol that almost masks the other more subtle notes of black plum and currant with tobacco. The acidity is very high… a definite food wine, needing red meat, or ribs. The texture fills the mouth with chewy tannins that are soft, but a touch rustic. This wine needs time to decant. After an hour decant, still shows big alcohol and menthol – overpowering the cherry and raspberry peaking through. After three hours, the alcohol has blown off and subtler notes appear. The fruit has moved forward and the plum and currant are now dominating. The menthol is now a subtle after-taste. The mid-palate has tobacco, oak and vanilla moving to a dark chocolate finish that turns a touch bitter and lasts forever… This is a premium Napa Cabernet showing its chops. For those that love the Napa Cab experience, this is an excellent example of one of the best. Another year, or two in the bottle and this wine will be ready to drink. Suggested optimum drinking window: 2016-2018.

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August 11, 2014 · 9:50 PM

2004 Pahlmeyer Winery Jayson Red Blend

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Pahlmeyer Winery Jayson Red Blend

California, Napa Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

Initial taste is hot and alcoholic, watery and missing fruit. After a 90 minute decant – the wine has evolved into a beautiful aged Cabernet Sauvignon blend.  The alcohol has blown off, the tannins are soft and dusty and the blackberry and black currant is in front.  A definite Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde experience!  This is the third 10-15 year-old premium Napa Cab I have tasted this year, and the experience has been similar.  These older Napa cabs need time to open…  The nose is still hot, but the fruit is prominent, with leather and loamy earth.  The palate is fruit forward now, but is typical of an older wine: missing the fresh fruit, but not oxidized yet. The mid-palate has leather, oak, spice and earth with a medium-long finish of dark chocolate.  The acidity is high and the tannins are very soft and subdued.  The structure is solid, but the balance is a touch off.  A few years earlier and the additional fruit might have offset the high acidity and alcohol. I found this enjoyable paired with a meat and cheese plate…

Had to add this postscript:

After 4 hour decant – Oh my gosh! The fruit is turning red and becoming sour raspberry. The tannins have completely resolved, but the wine is moving towards a velvet texture. The acidity has calmed down.  A great example of a balanced profile.  Just fantastic aged red wine!  Is there enough fruit to put another 3-5 years of bottle age on this, I hope so… I have one last bottle…

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Filed under Bordeaux/Meritage Blend, Napa Valley, U.S. Wines by Region, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes

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August 5, 2014 · 6:29 PM

1999 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

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Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard

California, Napa Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

After One Hour Decant

The alcohol is blowing off now. The nose is of black plum and blackberry, with strong cinnamon and clove spice character. Rather simple on the palate. The fruit is subdued, but in front still, with a mid-palate of powerful clove. The medium length finish is a mild, bitter dark chocolate. The bitterness becomes sour at the very end. The tannins are still present, but minimal and the acidity is still medium high. I was disappointed by the texture. The mouth-feel was a touch watery. This is a few years past its prime. This is not tasting oxidized yet. Still enjoyable and will definitely pair well with the beef that will be accompanying it.

After Two Hour Decant

The wine is still changing. The fruit is continuing to subside on the palate, but adding sour strawberry. The texture is continuing to evolve. The finish is lengthening and adding black pepper. The tannins are becoming a bit chewy. The acidity is becoming more prominent and the mouth-feel is building softness. Patience is paying off and the potential of this wine is starting to peak out. Amazing that a 15 year old bottle of wine can continue to evolve for two hours in the decanter!

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July 22, 2014 · 6:31 PM

2010 Sokol Blosser Rose of Pinot Noir Estate Cuvee

171785

Sokol Blosser Rose of Pinot Noir Estate Cuvee

Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

Wine Tasting Note:

I was looking at some recent tasting notes on this wine and I definitely have a different view. There are those that record the gradual loss of fruit in a white/rose wine as a marker of the descent into oxidization and eventual fault. I don’t understand this thinking. Wine does not need to be a fruit bomb to be appreciated. In many quality wines, bottle age promotes balance and softens structure – qualities I enjoy very much. Apparently, this thinking does not follow the palate of many wine consumers. I prefer some bottle-age on fine whites and rose! Take a well made white/rose with solid acidity, nice texture, lower alcohol, a minimum of oak and without any one characteristic overpowering the other… put some age on it and I am sold! Doesn’t matter whether white, rose, or bubbly. The right wines almost always do improve. So, this one knocked my socks off! It is a different tasting experience than the first bottle back in 2011. Beautiful, delicate nose of strawberry, hay and herbal mint. The palate is losing the fruit, but still begins with tart strawberry and now just a hint of watermelon. A touch of butter comes through from the lees. The huge acidity has toned down a bit, but still assertive enough to surpass most of the rose I taste. This is wonderfully dry, with enough fruit to mask any bitterness. The texture on this rose is wonderful! What the winemaker did with leaving this on the lees to age for a time before bottling, is almost god-like in its brilliance. IMO, the optimal window for drinking this wine is 2014-2015. Don’t let it sit much longer, or too much of the fruit will resolve. What a great value in Rose! Oregon shines again!

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July 21, 2014 · 6:06 PM

Jim Duane – Winemaker Interview

Seavey Vineyards 

California, Napa Valley

 

Jim Duane – Winemaker

Please follow this link to the Winemaker Interview Series at: http://winemakerinterviewseries.net/2014/07/22/wine-liquid-sunshine

 

I look forward to folks reading the piece. I would love to hear feedback, or comments. Always interested in what people have to say. I enjoy telling stories with my writing and I hope this piece gives you a glimpse into the winery and the man. I really enjoy these family wineries and hope the piece does their story justice.

Thanks,

Doug

 

 

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Filed under Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, U.S. Wines by Region, Wine by Varietal, Wine Industry, Wine Tasting, Wine Tasting Notes

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July 18, 2014 · 10:25 PM

2006 Seavey Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Caravina

128020

Seavey Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Caravina

California, Napa Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

This is a monster cab. If you are a big Robert Parker fan, this is his kind of wine. Initially, the nose was hot and a bit funky with a very closed flavor profile. For an 8-year-old cab, this wine is STILL drinking very young. After 3 hour decant… Much of the alcohol has blown off now, but is still present. The nose has plum, blackberry, a touch of herbaceousness and menthol. It has a very complex palate of typical Cabernet Sauvignon flavors – black fruit, leather, tar, graphite, dark chocolate and oak. The wine shows a very long bitter chocolate finish. The age has resolved the tannins somewhat and they are now medium-high, but still a bit grainy. The wine is very acidic and would be best drunk accompanying a rare steak. The texture is full, fleshy and soft. This needs more time in the bottle to come together. I am looking forward to popping the next bottle after several more years. This wine has plenty of structure to hold up into the next decade. A suggested prime drinking window might be 2017-2020.

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July 10, 2014 · 4:19 PM

2008 Terra Valentine Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

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Terra Valentine Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain

A Spring Mountain AVA Story

My wife and I really appreciate the producers on Spring Mountain. If your wine nirvana is mountain grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain will be one of your go-to AVA’s (wine growing region). We have been meaning to try Terra Valentine for quite some time. We see their sign every time down the mountain from Pride Mountain Vineyards… On our last visit, we spoke to the family over at Schweiger and they shared the story of the Wine Growers Association’s effort to keep resort development out of the Spring Mountain area. A great story of family owned wineries who love the beauty and character of their home, trying to keep it that way. The fight prompted an agreement between the wineries to allow a last right of refusal – in case of a principal’s death, the surviving winery owners would be able to purchase the land, before a sale to an outside party. I have not been able to confirm this, but I hope it is true.

Wine Tasting Note

Fruit forward nose with black plum, blackberry, mint, cinnamon, oak and alcohol. On the palate, this has not quite come together yet. Needs another 2-3 years in the bottle to hit its stride. Good structure, high tannins and medium-high acidity… plenty of mojo for continued bottle aging. I would put the prime drinking window at 2016 – 2019. This is moving towards a silky texture and soft tannins… I will try my other bottle in a couple of years. Strong fruit forward flavors of black fruits that follow the nose. Really enjoy the mid-palate of cinammon, vanilla, leather and a touch of mint that comes through. The oak is present, but does not overpower. A bit of milk chocolate on the finish, but it is weak. Perhaps it will improve as the fruit calms down and the tannins soften. At $30/btl. this is a great wine value from Spring Mountain Estate fruit!

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May 10, 2014 · 10:42 PM

2007 Inman Family Pinot Noir Olivet Grange Vineyard

218848

Inman Family Pinot Noir Olivet Grange Vineyard

California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Wine Tasting Note:

The 2006 was a prettier vintage. It was a bit more fruit forward and a little more balanced, but this is still a wonderful effort. The nose has aromas of sour black cherries, dark chocolate, minerality and a minor floral note. The color has picked up a brownish tinge showing some age and the freshness is gone, but the palate is still showing strong acidity – making the wine still very lively in the mouth. The tannins are very subdued and the alcohol is very well integrated. The texture is gorgeous – very soft and pleasant. More old world style, focusing on balance and complexity, but not quite hitting the mark. The fruit is in front but subtle, moving to a mid-palate with vanilla, oak, leather and some mineral aspects with a medium-long finish of bitter chocolate. I enjoyed this California Pinot that didn’t follow the crowd.

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May 5, 2014 · 7:41 AM

Can New Zealand Wines Continue to Grow Market Share in U.S.?

Source quoted below…

What is Driving the Continuing Growth of New Zealand Wines in the U.S.?

This situation reminds me of the popularity of Australian red wines in the U.S. for the last decade. Unfortunately (for them), tastes evolved and the intensely fruity, sweet, simple style of wine produced for export has lost much of its steam, as U.S. red wine drinkers palates have matured. I have a suspicion the same future may be in the cards for New Zealand. Many consumers I talk to, enjoy the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, because of the tropical fruit flavors these terroirs seems to bring to the wine grapes. Contrast that with the lemon and grapefruit flavors that are predominant with the Napa-Sonoma producers. The majority of the California Sauv Blancs I have tasted are obvious food wines… pairing well with lighter food styles – seafood, chicken, white cream sauces. These New Zealand wines are better for spicy foods and drinking on their own. Can this style continue to grow market share and/or expand the market for white wine in the U.S.?

New Zealand Wine Sales Grow in the Premium Category…

In this case, the source is defining the “premium brands” category in the $15-30/btl range. Why are people willing to pay more for these brands: Kim Crawford, Oyster Bay, etc? Tropical fruit flavors in Sauv Blanc are difficult to find in wines from other areas consistently. Could this consistent flavor profile cause wine drinkers to feel they know the product as a regional brand? Perhaps in the same way we have come to know the general character of “Left Bank Bordeaux” wines? If this is the case, will this wine style continue to “win” in the long-run? Based on the popularity now, it would seem so, but only time will tell.

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New Zealand Wines Thrive Stateside, Led By Super-Premium Brands

Shanken News Daily – “New Zealand wine imports continue to gain ground in the U.S., with much of the segment’s growth concentrated in the premium-and-above range. Bottled wine shipments from New Zealand grew 9.1% to more than 2.7 million cases in 2012 and then accelerated in 2013, rising 12% to over 3.1 million cases. The trend has continued this year, with New Zealand wine rising by 21% in IRI channels in the 12 weeks ending March 23. The U.S. market’s largest New Zealand wine brand—Constellation’s Kim Crawford ($17-$33 a 750-ml.)…”

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April 25, 2014 · 6:40 PM

Chappellet Vineyards and Sonoma Loeb Tasting Streamed to 45 Total Wine Stores

Chappellet Live! A Virtual Tasting from Napa Valley’s Pritchard Hill

Saturday, April 19, 2014
Tempe, AZ

Featured Wines:
Sonoma Loeb Chardonnay Reserve – $29.99
Sonoma Loeb Chardonnay Envoy – $39.99
Sonoma Loeb Sonoma Pinot Noir – $24.99
Sonoma Loeb Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Reserve – $39.99
Chappellet Napa Chardonnay – $34.99
Chappellet Cervantes Mountain Cuvee – $34.99
Chappellet Napa Signature Cabernet – $49.99
2008 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet – $119.99

WINE EVENT INTRODUCTION

Fabulous idea! This is a great way for a medium size winery (under 40K cases?) to reach a broad audience. Technology provides opportunities, if we know how to leverage it. Unfortunately, the technology had its challenges. The audio had a terrible echo, which could have been eliminated by muting all the sites other than the point of origin. The message was a bit scattered, but the mother of the host family was awesome! She was interesting enough to host her own wine talk show… all in all, for a first effort at internet marketing – a gallant one, and they will get better over time. Keep it up guys! Good Luck!

WINE FLIGHT #1 – WHITE WINES (3 NOTES)

I liked the lower cost Sonoma Loeb on its own, but the Chappellet chard would be best accompanying food.

  • 2012 Chappellet Vineyard Chardonnay

USA, California, Napa Valley

This was a VERY traditional Napa style chardonnay specifically made for accompanying food. The color was a very pale straw and extremely clear. The nose was very weak, but bright, with notes of grapefruit, lemon curd and oak. The palate was a touch sweet, light-bodied with very high acidity. The flavors on the palate matched the nose with a short finish. This is not an easy drinking aperitif. It would be much better with a nice seafood, or pork dish.

  • 2012 Sonoma-Loeb Chardonnay Private Reserve Carneros

USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

This is an attempt at a classic Burgundian oaked chardonnay. Very weak nose, showing nail polish initially, then aromas of lemon curd, vanilla and oak. Medium bodied and very dry with high acidity. Palate was soft, but had a minimum of depth to the flavors. I sort of enjoyed this for an easy drinking chard at a wine bar kind of beverage. It resides somewhere between a food wine and an aperitif. Over-priced at $30/btl, but decent enough.

  • 2011 Sonoma-Loeb Chardonnay Envoy

USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Russian River Valley

The winemaker tried so hard here, but missed the mark. I guess if you were looking for a Rombauer chard you might find this appealing, but they do over-the-top chards much better. Big nose of lemon curd, butterscotch and pineapple with a strong presence of oak. There is some minerality, but it does not come through to the palate. The wine coats the mouth with rich textures. The palate simply brings the nose through with no mid-palate and there is a medium finish of pineapple. Only medium acidity… so food pairing options would be limited. There is too much oak and the freshness is lost because of it. I didn’t care for this wine.

WINE FLIGHT #2 – RED WINES (5 NOTES)

Regarding the Pinot Noir, the lower priced Sonoma Loeb again was superior to the higher-priced wine. Of Cab Sauv and blends, the Pritchard Hill Cab stood out by far as superior, but at $120/btl… my goodness!

  • 2011 Sonoma-Loeb Pinot Noir

USA, California, Sonoma County

The nose is full of cherry cough syrup, browned butter, oak and medicinal overtones. High acidity and medium tannins provide a fair amount of structure. The texture is very light. The palate is full of red cherry and oak. It also has a smokey flavor with a light spice character. This is too fruity and the oak is not integrated. There is enough structure and complexity present to elevate it a bit.

  • 2012 Sonoma-Loeb Pinot Noir

USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

A strong oak character. The nose is full of sweet red cherry, butter and oak. The acidity is very high with low tannins. Not very well balanced. The texture is very light. This could have been very good with more freshness to the fruit. On its own, the acidity bites… but paired with the right foods, this wine would be awesome. The flavor profile is a bit simple.

  • 2011 Chappellet Vineyard Cervantes Mountain Cuvee

USA, California, Napa Valley

Powerful nose of alcohol that did not blow off dominates. This is a light bodied wine, with high acidity and high tannins. Good structure with reasonable balance. The palate is fruit forward with sweet cherry and black raspberry moving to a mid-palate of bitter dark chocolate and a long slightly bitter finish with earthy undertones. This would be a very good table wine, pairing well with richer food dishes, but I would expect it to cost under $30/btl.

  • 2011 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Reserve

USA, California, Napa Valley

Very dark extracted looking wine with an intense nose of alcohol, plum and blackberry. High acidity and high tannins – very young. This has a light mouth-feel, offering more of a food wine approach. The palate is fruit forward with sweet plum, blackberry and white pepper. The fruit is very concentrated. The mid-palate brings in oak and toffee and then finishes with vanilla. A middle of the road Napa cab.

  • 2008 Chappellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill Estate Vineyard

USA, California, Napa Valley

A beautiful wine. The nose is full of rich black plum with a pretty floral character, moving to menthol and alcohol. High acidity and high tannins with a nice mouth-feel. The palate is fruit forward with extracted plum and blackberry with a mid-palate of tobacco, tar, oak and vanilla. The finish is long with a mildly bitter dark chocolate flavor. This wine is balanced and has good structure, but it is still young and would benefit from another 3-5 years in the bottle.

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