2005 Sbragia Family Cabernet Sauvignon Andolsen Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley)

Super dark color, almost black. The nose was pure blueberry and black cassis. This is huge. Very rare that I open a young'en up and say "This is too young!" This is that time. There is much happening in this black hole of a wine. Graphite, leather, tannins, blueberry, cassis, chocolate, tannins and the blackest-berry I ever encountered. There's also some sour cherry In the mix. All very primary and fresh. There is a touch of menthol here too. The balance is awkward and clumsy. 2-3 years will bring this one together nicely. For $27 this is a great deal. Drinks at least as well as many $60 bottles I have had. (This happens to remind me just a bit of the 2005 Rivers-Marie). The blackest Andolsen I have had from Sbragia. 90/100

After a 2-3 hour decant this was much more cohesive and complete. Duh!!

Tanzer says its the best Sbragia Andolsen he has sampled, I may have to agree.

2001 Dehlinger Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

Medium dark color. The nose has some red currant and black cherry cola. Palate is very 'European' if you know what I mean... Some dirt and leather mixed in with some red and blacks fruits of black cherry and currants. Decent balance and mouth feel. A nice finish. This evolved nicely as the afternoon progressed. Just having the Ruston La Maestra the other day I can't say I enjoyed this as much. Sure, there's not much to fault with it but it comes down to a preference thing. Not mine in this case. (89 pts.)

2006 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

2 hour decant. Beautiful deep dark blackish hue. The nose is a very pretty subdued elegant soft cassis and warm blueberry pie. Very nice. The palate brings those qualities forward and adds to it with its silky mouth feel, very low-key slight sweet fruits with the red cassis, blueberries, boysenberry, and pomegranate. Nice notes of soy, slight black pepper, exotic Asian spices, and cedar. The tannins were in check, but surely present and this will be amazing in 2-3 years with no danger of decline anytime before my retirement date. A wonderful long and pleasing aftertaste that went beyond the 60 second mark, this has so much going for it. It has the Aussie profile but brought down 2 notches. I really enjoyed the glossiness and elegant structure. A great deal at $32 to boot. (93 pts.)

2001 Ruston Family Cabernet Sauvignon La Maestra - USA, California, Napa Valley

Bright ruby red. The nose is very Bordeaux like. Lots of lead pencil shavings, red-cherry, red currants and tar. The red fruit profile feels a bit restrained, reminiscent of Bordeaux, but there's much going on here to really like. Good medium weight mouth-feel, lot of what seems like secondaries of tar and cedar with some petroleum. (I think of the Petrol refinery across from Latour when-ever I get this). Could that be healthy? Anywho, this has a strong tannin base, and I believe this will be wonderful for the next 10 years. A slightly elevated acid level makes eating with this one imperative. The petit and cab franc really make themselves heard in this one. All in all a nicely structured and well balanced Cali blend. (91 pts.)

Some excerpts from the Ghost Ghorse dinner.

All wines were double decanted at for about 4 hours.

2005 Ghost Horse - This was hitting all cylinders and was greatly appreciated by this point of the nigh. It had deep dark color with great black fruits of cassis, blackberries and plum. Nice. Great elegance and structure showed breed and style. This was great. Very lush and smooth A long finish brought it home. I wish it has been maybe 5-8 degrees cooler in temperature though. Still all in all a great wine. WOTF, My #1. I had this pegged for the SHS or Harlan. 94/100

2002 Araujo Eisele - Back on track: Great black cherries and kirsch. Some cola and cocoa. Very nice. I wish this had more Oomph though. It was a bit feminine, but graceful and elegant. Not in the fat bruiser style at all, this is Araujo..... A good long finish. Very nice indeed. 93/100

2005 Merus - This was very different in style than anything on the table yet. Big brooding and well structured with very masculine lines. Nice dark black hole fruits of currant and boysenberry with some pomegranate. There was some soy and tarry leather. Consistent notes from previous visits with this wine. What a great wine with certain QPR for its price rage and certainly here tonight. 93/100

2003 Harlan Estate - Another medium colored wine with some Framboise, currant, and black cherries. It had a clean and nicely balanced mouth feel, and although a step up, still uninspired. Got better as time went on: took on some elegance and structure, but Harlan? I enjoyed this and am sure I would have even more if it were alone on the table and given some additional time to evolve. Easy WOTF. My #4 92/100

Shiraz/Syrahs Focus Group Tasting

2005 Innocent Bystander Shiraz-Viognier.
This seemed liked it was a bit over the hill. The color was a deep garnet with slightly browned edges. The palate had a nice balance and texture/mouth feel. It had a long finish. There was some white pepper and blueberries. The alcohol was a tad high. Seemed a bit oxidized but still nice. Just surprising it was a 2005. 88/100

2007 Sonoma Vineyards Syrah.
Young and vibrant. Darker and more purple tinged in color. A great nose of black pepper and blackberries. The palate had a wonderful mouth feel of lush red & black fruits. I really enjoyed this one. The finish was a bit short, but that was the only negative I can come up with. 90/100

2007 Zontes Footsteps Shiraz-Viognier.
Funky nose that dissipated after a few minutes. Very intense red fruit profile. This reminded me of a Barossa Shiraz. Very dark and brooding and a bit of saltiness present. This was a bit unyielding but interesting 87/100

2006 Hyland Penley Estate Coonawarra Shiraz.
Bright red fruit. Nice balance. Some tar and petroleum along with a bit of dirt. There are some nice reddish fruits of cherries and pomegranate. The mouth feel is a bit tart and sweet to my liking. 85/100

2004 Kunde Estate Sonoma Valley Syrah
We have arrived firmly in California. Great color. The nose had some wonderful blueberries and soy. This is a very big and at the same time elegant wine. The palate showed off some great black pepper, dark blueberry pie, and soy sauce. A little more bottle age and this will surely rock. Puts me in mind if the PAX Sonoma Coast wines.
92/100

2006 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump GSM.
Floral and fragrant with lots of perfume, this had a good red color. This was very different in its attack: some very soft red fruits were way up front. Cherries and pomegranate mixed with asphalt and flowers. Soft is the word here. Good balance, but not my cup ‘o tea. 86/100

2005 d’Arenberg d’Arrys Original Shiraz Grenache
Very strange nose of chemical and plastic. Unbalanced and awkward, this had a tart mouth feel and was sweet and salty. Not good. N/A

2006 Kilikanoon Killermans Run Shiraz Grenache
Dark red and black fruit profile of blackberries and Chinese apples. Nice mouth feel and texture. Some soy and dirt mixed in with some floral notes. This had so much going on at so many levels. Would be great with food. Long finish. 92/100

2006 d’Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz McLaren Vale
Dark and exotic, this brought to mind a cabernet touch. Wonderful dark cassis and kirsch, black cherries and scorched earth made this a real winner of the night. Lots of structure and pizzazz with the long smooth finish you would hope for. What a surprise when unveiled. It reminded me of Brokenwood’s graveyard Vineyard Shiraz at 5x the price. Well done! QPR Indeed. 94/100

2006 Kilikanoon Killermans Run Shiraz South Australia
Dark and brooding I the glass, this had a pure black style fruit profile of blackberries and currant with some more kirsch. It was like the Footbolts younger brother. It had the elegance and structure. Nice. 90/100

2006 Four Vines Killer Canyon Paso Robles Syrah
Here’s where things go pear shaped in this 4th and final flight. Totally different than the last two, this had some nice balance and structure with some tart cherry, burnt cedar, pomegranate and blackberries. I had this pinned for an Aussie Cadenzia, but was wrong at the unveiling. A wow wine in its own right, but very different from the other two it had been grouped with. 92/100

2006 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon H3 Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills

Admirable color, this has a nice nose of blackish currants, black cherry and kirsch. The palate shows nice fruit, albeit a bit 1 dimensional. Some good cab qualities of currant and blackberries. This wine is actually a bit better than CT scores will let on. There are some good clean tannins and a typical Washington State profile that many won't/don't like. (not in your face, but subdued and more 'cool climate' in style, without being green). I am sure this will be better in about a year since its shows a bit primary right now. A good finish and all in all .....not bad....not bad at all.....

2005 Sorrel Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County)

Last year about this time I found the 2003 Sorrel Canyon Cabernet and recommended it to everyone I knew who liked Cabernet. Many many cases were sold and I even got 2 or 3 for myself. By New Years I was unable to find any more. I am happy to announce it's back and better than ever.

Ultra dark. A color not ever encountered in such an inexpensive wine. The nose has some sweet red currant and a certain flowery headiness that tells me there maybe a touch of Cab Franc in the mix. There are wonderful Bing cherries there as well. The palate has a wonderful mouth feel that is fruit forward and deftly balanced. The texture defies the price. There's allot going on here: cola nuts, vanilla, Chinese apple, tar, and black cherry. The tannins are very agreeable and soft and the acid is a touch high on the end, but this wine carries it nicely. I like this better than last years '03 (and that's a feat in itself). It has more elegance, structure and class. Not the longest finish ever, but you know what? We can forgive something....no?
You will be hard pressed to find a better deal for $12. Hard pressed. Super QPR two years running. 92/100

1997 Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford)

Deep ultra dark and brooding. This has some mature edges, but still vibrant. The nose has some dark complex cassis with some lead pencil shavings and tar. A little petroleum evident that adds complexity and interest.As this comes down to room temperature there is a hint of reductiveness, just a hint. Not distracting, but there. There is black currant, crème de cassis, some cedar box, a touch of tar and some black olive. This is very 'Left bank'. The tannins have resolved and the acid level is slightly, ever so raised. A very nice bottle indeed. I say drink 'em if you got them but should be good for some time yet. There was more than its share of sediment here too.(from a 375).

1992 Penfolds Grange - Australia, South Australia (11/22/2008)

Such a pretty nose of black fruits, violets and other exotic wild flowers. The color is dark and dense. The palate has some great sweet black fruits (cassis, black cherry, and blackberries), tar, cedar-box and a deep ultra pure mouth feel. Some earthiness adds nicely to the mix. A reminiscent fully resolved tannin base that speaks mature, but in no danger of falling off for the next few years. An early drinker for sure. The midpalate is clean and elegant. There is some dryness on the finish (oak), but all in all this is a classy 'drop'. (92 pts.)

1995 Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc To-Kalon I Block

Deep dark honey color. Out of the gate this had wonderful intense lemon peel and honeydew melons. There was an interesting flintiness and a touch of caramel. A nice lilt acid level and a clean pure mouth feel. After 15 minutes it had gone downhill quickly. The fruit dried up and all that was left was the acid: more pronounced and less 'lilty'. Not as good as the '96 we had at the CLONYC ToKalon dinner last winter, but nice if your not going to dwell on a bottle all night. A good deal for the $20 I paid non-the-less. (87 pts.)

So today we make....wine!

So today, I get my best sweat pants and worst shirt on because its winemaking time. My neighbor Mikey 'eyes' and I have decided to make 16 gallons of something, but we would not what until we source the grapes and taste the options. He thinks Merlot, while I am dreaming Cabernet. We taste the Merlot grapes. Seem a bit flat and bland leaves me not-so-excited. Next taste the Cabernet: hmmmmm, good fruit and all around taste. Ok, 1 down. Next it’s the Zinfandel: Nahh, just not hitting my right where it should. Grenache? Sure, ok, but nah, not a Grenache? Alicante? No friggin way. Grandpa may be disappointed though, if he were alive. Sitting on the other side of the loading dock, all alone is a stack of Petite Sirah. Yes! Petite Sirah sounds about right. I imagine our creation of a dark a brooding chewy red to drink with my charcoal steaks. Nope, Pat, the lady running the joint tells us there’s white mold. White mold? Isn’t that....sugar? What does that tell us? Probably nothing so I ask Pat: “Hey Pat, this means what?” Pat Confirms my ‘nothing’. She offers a discount of $10 per case? Ok, sure. Hey Mikey eyes, let’s make Cab and PS!

4 36 pound cases of each and $220 later, we have his Cadillac trunk and backseat filled with grapes crates. ($23 per for the PS and $33 per for the Cab). We bring it all to his buddy Carlos's home crush and barrel facility: A big double room in his backyard he custom built. Out comes the old crank crush and away we go into 50 gallon tub for each. First the PS, then the Cab. This contraption does not de-stem, so into the mix goes our hands pulling most of the stems out. Easier said than done especially with the Petite Sirah. After about 2 hours of de-stemming and alternating breaks to taste Carlos's lineup from last year we cover the tubs with a sheet and we will revisit in 6 days. Carlos will push the ‘cap’ down daily for us.

Carlos poured us his 2007 Zinfandel which made me almost regret our choice of not making Zinfandel. Great fruit, a good tannic backbone with some black pepper and blackberries. Very nice and Carlos was very eager to hear our honest opinions. He then siphoned off some of his Pinot Grigio that seemed to have a bit of he sulphur still in it masking any fruit. Next was a creamy Chardonnay that had a wonderful mouth feel. The Sauvignon Blanc was very respectable as well with some lemon notes and slightly elevated acid level which would make it a wonderful match for a piece of nicely cooked Lemon Sole. Last was the Cabernet which I found super primary.

Carlos is an all around humble & nice guy with a real passion for home winemaking. To be honest, I never had one, but tasting some of his I surely can see the light. His Zinfandel was the single best homemade wine I have ever had. I had offered to make him custom labels for his wines, an offer he thanked me for, but mentioned that he really wanted to be proud of a single barrel before he would even consider doing such. I told him the Zinfandel is such a wine. Hopefully he takes me up on my offer.

Next week we barrel our wines. (I will take photos and post here for anyone interested). I had a great time and hope it's the start of something we can look forward to on a yearly basis.

2003 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Dark & brooding. The nose opened with some damp forest floor of pine needles and moss. Intense dark fruits of super black cherry, black currant and blackberry, with a deft touch of pomegranate. The palate revealed an amazing intertwined medley of those black fruits with some black & white malted in the mix, leaning heavier toward the chocolate. Wow. The tannins seemed to be resolving nicely although I sensed some chewiness still present. There is too much happening in this wine to put in words. Its somewhat typical Foley and yet I can see the appeal to a wider audience including Foley dissers. The mouth feel was very silky and smooth, but you can't ignore the power hiding under the surface of this iceberg. As others have stated: this is an exotic cabernet with TONS of structure and finesse. A super long minute plus finish and Bobs your uncle.... really

Old bones with life: 1988 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Old Vines

Zinfandel today is nothing like Zinfandel of yesterday. I am not just pontificating unknowingly here but speaking from much experience. When I just started on this journey of winedom I drank Zinfandel on a regular basis. Purchased by the caseload and enjoyed every chance I could. . Alcohol level were realistic and fruit was spicy and meaty as today's Cali Syrahs are. They were not the big bombastic wines we find today with 17% alcohol. This wine is from that time.
The freshness of this is astounding. The color is a light ruby red with nary a sign of age. Amazing. The nose has great floral bouquet of red roses. There is a fresh red cherry component that is age defying. The palate has a very deftly balanced ad pretty array of red fruits: Cherries, plums, raspberries and pomegranate. There is some tar and tobacco present as well. The mouth feel is soft, but assertive, or as assertive as you could ever want from a 20 year old Zinfandel. The label states 83% Zinfandel, and 17% Petite Sirah. I think he PS has kept this one alive. This was aged in American Oak ad there is just the faintest trace of oak toward the finish, just a bit. A long and well structured finish of 2+ minutes completes the perfect package. WOW. Fully matured and holding on nicely, this was a real treat tonight. It has held up better than many 20 year old Cabs I have had within the last year or so. An old timer hitting a home run. They surely don't make them like this anymore.....Not bad for $15. (94 pts.)

2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon

USA, California, Napa Valley (10/9/2008)
Double decanted 3.5 hours. Nice dark color with no sign of fading. The nose had subdued currants and blackberry with some floral notes. Nice. On the palate the wine walked the walk: great dark cassis with some secondaries of tar, soy, cedar-box (like a new humidor) and leather. The tannins were loosely weaved with a deft acid level. Tame nuances of light oak lingered like a feather. There was a perfect plush mouth feel that oozed class. The finish was long and clean. After reading recent notes on this I did not have high hopes, and I attribute tonight’s great showing to the decant which was perfect...and the wine. Pure harmony in a bottle. Elegant, exact and delish. (94 pts.)

2004 Scholium Project Syrah Scythia Donati Vineyards

USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County (9/28/2008)
1 hour decant. This wine is in such a wonderful place right now. Dark as a moonless night. Perfect blueberry pie, crushed pebbles. Phenomenal structure. Very consistent with my last 3 times with it. Maybe less showy and more exact and precise if anyhthing. Less perfumey. Some pretty asian spice and cedar. Steamed meat. The tannins are ironing themselves out nicely. Chewy and elegant all at once, this remains one of the best bottles of Syrah I have had recently alongside the Lucia Susans. A toned down Cali Syrah or a Rhone on steroids....you choose. Glad I got 6 more and will still seek more. 3 to 5 yars of great promise here. (93 pts.)

from the website:
This wine was rescued from a vineyard about to be condemned for its unfashionability. The vines were perched precariously on the crest of rolling hills 40 miles inland from Monterey– in the heart of old Almaden country. The perch was precarious because the hill's crest was composed only of sand, from some lost sea-bottom. The vines were meticulously cared for, but struggled in the wind, and in the hopelessly fine drainage of sandy hill-crest. I secured the last harvest; the grapes were trucked to Napa by a local tomato grower. The wine was dark and almost syrupy from the beginning. It lacks the off-putting fierceness of the Scheria, but it would be a gross insult to call it friendly. Instead it is full of intense dark fruit-- reminiscent more of pan forte or christmas cake than jam; and not far from roast goose. It is, like Babylon and Scheria, beyond the paths and borders of our usual neighborhoods, but somewhat more familiar...Abe Schoener.

1996 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon (real time)

5:20 Broken cork. Nose has some reduction and sweetness. Some browning on edges. Possibly the smallest amout of VA, but I think it will blow off. Palate has some nice structure and dried fruits, but still a bit cool to tell where this will go. Palate better than nose.

5:40 Color deepening and only the very edges are showing age. The palate is fuller and rounder with some rose petals, cedar box, dried blackberries, dried currant, deep somewhat sour cherries. This reminds me of many of the 50s and 60 era Bordeaux I drank in the 80s. Interesting old cabernet.

8:45 All in all a very nice wine. An hour or so this was really showing nice. Good body, fully resolved sweet tannins. Long finish. This was totally matured and hanging on for dear life. More European in style. My second bottle from a different source. I remember my first being more Cab like. 88/100

2004 Rockledge Cabernet Sauvignon The Rocks

USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (9/13/2008)
Nice deep color (Do I always need to tell you that?) A great nose of crushed fresh black cherries with some black currants and red plums. This has a very elegant and precision driven pure core of chewy tannins and a medley of most of the cab fruits I want, with a slightly elevated level of oak that should quiet down nicely (oak is not an enemy of mine). Good vanilla bean and espresso with some freshly scratched wet leather and earth. After some amazing cabs tasted in the last 8 days, this shows amazingly well for its price point. I'm a fan and will be stocking up. (93 pts.)

Some wines from Thomas Rivers Brown

Last night six of us from the CLONYC crowd gathered at Zoë’s Soho to sample some of Thomas Brown’s highly coveted Cabernets. All the wines showed very well, some exceptionally so.
The lineup:
1) 2007 Barrel sample from fellow board members new venture: Congruence.
2) Blind entry- 2004 Schrader Double D
3) 2004 Maybach Materium
4) 2005 Maybach Materium
5) 2004 Schrader Tokalon
6) 2004 Schrader CCS
7) 2004 Schrader RBS
8) 2005 Outpost True Vineyard
9) 2003 Rivers Marie
10) The Zoe field blend of Schraders 3

I'll start here:

2004 Maybach Materium- (double decanted 4.5 hours) Dark and intense. The nose showed a wall of fruit that raged from the glass. Wow. There was black berry, black cherry, dark currant, black plums, some tobacco, some sweet kirsch, Wow. The purity of this multi-fruited profiled wine is both mind blowing and mind-boggling. Elegant and precise, this is a Cab drinkers Cab. I sat with this all night and it kept changing places with its younger brother always fighting for first place. A long finish and wow. Anyone who thinks wow wines do not exist needs to taste this one treated with the correct decant and respect. One more time….. Wow 95/100

2005 Maybach Materium – (double decanted 1.5 hours) The family resemblance is uncanny, just the clothing is different. This had the dark brooding color with the slightly more subdued, but ever present wall of fruit. The red and black fruits created such a fruit medley of love. Slightly bigger in scale than the 04, this had more oak, and more tannic structure, but hey, it’s a year younger. Black cassis wrapped chocolate cherries with pure blackberry and licorice. The balance and purity is staggering. Long and intense, this wine kept vying for pole position with its older brother, taking the lead no less than 3 times. The photo-finish results proved it was nose behind, yet I will give it a 95/100

Mid 90s CaliCab & Pizza night

Last night I had a few friends over for CaliCabs and pizza.
1986 Inglenook Cask Cabernet – what great old brick color for such a matured wine. Some reductiveness on the nose. The palate has a bit of dried fruits, some middle and a slightly boosted alcohol level. There were some secondary’s of tar, soy and leather. I am not the biggest fan of old wines but I can surely see what would attract some to this. A textbook 80s era Cab.Thanks Michael for bringing.
1994 Shafer Cabernet Napa – If I was missing fruit in the Inglenook, I found it here. This was dark crimson. The nose had some deep stewed dark fruits of black cherry and plums. It was a little disjointed initially with the finish showing some heat, but after an hour this was surely firing on all cylinders. The fruits got a bit glossier and fresher. The heat became a bit tamer as well….Very nice. There was currant, and kirsch now in attendance. I really enjoyed the evolution of this one. A nice bottle. Thanks to Greg and Monica for this one.
1996 Corison Cabernet Napa – Here comes the reductiveness again. The nose had a touch of this particular quality that I am no fan of. This wine has some elegance and some balance, but there was something I could not quite put my finger on. I have never really been a fan of Corisons wines and I guess I may never be one. T had some red and dark fruits with some great mouth feel, but the alcohol was a bit elevated and the finish hot because of it. This is one I wish I had revisited after an hour as Greg said it had come together nicely.

My loose theme was older and mid 90s Cabs but f my theme, I need a manly wine. (I took the 96 Clos Pagase out of the rotation)
2005 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Napa – Here we go: big brooding and tight as a ducks ass in spring. Some decanted time and I was vigorously swirling, and the palate showed some dark plums, sweet cassis, black cherries, and blackberry. Oddly the nose never really screamed Cabernet, but a Cali Syrah: there was white pepper and steamed meat! It didn’t detract, and it surely added interest. This had a pure clean and surety of Cabernet in the mouth though…hmmmm? After about an hour this was starting to show a bit fuller and plusher. I love wines like this but I won’t revisit until 2012 and beyond. I just picked these up two weeks back and will get more.
Here’s where the theme goes totally pear shaped:
Cali Syrah time.
2003 Pride Syrah – Great dark color with the nose being a bit subdued and closed and not as expressive as my last, as this is now my last bottle. Mike has a few so maybe I can experience again soon. Some dried fruits and black pepper, this was a good partner to the pizza hitting the table at the time. It had the nice pure blueberries I enjoy with some soy and pomegranate. It seemed I was a bit busy with the pies and this was GONE in a heartbeat. I so wanted more. I have my suspicions….
2002 Kuleto Cab Napa served blind. The usual crowd pleaser. No notes but easy to find on this blog.