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.

2003 CaliCab Virtual Tasting on eRobertparker.com

After the immensely successful Syrah Virtual last season, I thought it time to stoke the fires once again with a 2003 CaliCab Virtual Tasting. With over 40 people wanting to be a part of the wine drinking action (not like 'we'll get back to more golf action...') we were off to a good start.
I gotta admit, I was no fan of the vintage when it first came to town. The wines I initially tasted wee weedy, thin and often felt manufactured. Since that initial taste I have had over 150 203s and can honestly say: about 20 were stellar. The usual big boys as well as some surprises.

My first bottle for this tasting is the 2003 Jones Family 'The Sisters' bottling, which in truth is a proprietary red, but who's complaining? Not me.

The 'Virtual' runs from Friday, August 15th, to Sunday August 17th.

2003 Jones Family 'The Sisters'
Super dark and intense plum black color. Very pretty edges reminds me of Black-cherry jelly. The nose has some ultra dark fruits of blackberry, dark black cherry, and currant, as well as a very nice sweet red fruits that really pop. Upon entering the mouth you sense a purity not often found. The fruits want to numb your senses, but in a good way (and this is by no means a fruit bomb). A big structured wine with class. Some lead pencil shavings, leather, and camphor are there. Slightly elevated tannin structure tells me this will go another 5-8 years with no problem. An acid level that sits quietly in the background, trying not to bring attention to itself. Nice. Avery long finish of about a minute, (and even at two you can still taste this wine) wow. I love this stuff. Pure. Elegance & brawn all in one package and that's a tough one to pull off. 95/100

On Saturday I had the good fortune to visit with friends Nano and Claudia in their home for a BBQ. Amongst the dozen plus bottles served, I found a Virtual Tasting themed wine:

2003 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Concentrated dark color. This is a pure, clean and wonderful Cabernet that defies the reputation of the vintage. Plush and lush explosive black and red fruits of currant, blackberry and black cherry. Great creme de casis & Kirsch with just the slightest amount of chocolate mousse and a touch of cola. Great unobtrusive tannins that are finely weaved and fully evolved. This is an extremely balanced and deftly structured Cabernet. What a phenomenal effort from KL

Pizza Pinot Tuesday

What can be better than Pizza, Pinot Noir and good friends in the back yard on a very comfortable early August evening in NYC? Our 'first Tuesday' group did a pot-luck Pinot themed dinner, and a great time was had by all. 10 Cali Pinots, 1 Riesling and lots of food. We had four varieties of pizza (or is it varietal?): Provolone and sauce, a white pie of 3 cheeses, an Italian pie with a few types of dried Italian sausage (pictured), and a shrimp pie. Potluck never had it so good.

Since I was busy throwing pizza dough 30 to 40 feet into the New York City sky I only really had time for a few impressions myself.

2004 Seasmoke Botella- a fantastic and very pretty floral nose. Nice medium color. a seemless balance of pure red fruits and a wonderful mouthfeel made the the very early winner for me. Elegance nd style. Such a beautiful wine, I can understand why it dissapears from sight the moment the offering rolls around. 93

2005 KB Amber Ridge - Big and powerful. I brought this and I remember why. Its just pure joy in a bottle. Nicely structured and long on the finish. Great dark fruits and pure pinot satisfaction (for a cab drinker). 92

2004 Joseph James - Steve brought this small production beauty. Great dark color with a very pretty nose of flowers and wet stones. nice red raspberries on the palate. as well as the previously mentioned stones. Nice structure and lenght. Easily in my top 3. 91

2004 Thin Air (blind)- Abe Schoener- I should have guessed this one as I knew Cheryl had it squirrelled away for the right moment. light in color. Scratch that: Very light in color. cloudy and full bodied, this is exactly like it was 2 years ago when I first tasted it. I was a wise ass and guessed a New Zealand Pinot, as If I should have a clue... 89

2005 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown

(7/19/2008) USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville - 2 hour decant. Super dark crimson color. Opaque and dense. The nose gives very little: cola, blackberry and camphor. The palate has a sweet profile that is packed 10 deep with black fruits of blackberry, black plum, cassis, & black cherry cola. Slightly angular and four square. Big chewy tannins and maybe a wee bit of oak popping its head up as the vanilla is encircling the camp. This is a black hole of a cabernet for sure. Good structure. A decent finish and Bobs you uncle...sort of. A well made wine indeed, but I can see it not being everyone's cup 'o tea. It's more loud and noisy and could use a little refinement & class. Time may help, but I would hate to see what fruit is here go south in that time. (90 pts.)

Next day (after 24 hour decant)- Different day.....different wine.More 'aged' color on the edges with some purple popping through. The nose shows a little more in the way of dark fruits. I sense some cassis today (yea!). The mouthfeel is bigger and so is the alcohol. It's actually more 'full' today than yesterday. with more texture and more concentration. This one needs many years cellar time. The cola bubbles in the nose are gone (yea!). I actually like this more today. It shows more of everything today. It may well be wonderful tomorrow, but I will never know....92 points.

2006 Scholium Project Verdelho Heliopolis Delu

USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg (7/2/2008)This was a very interesting and enjoyable bottle. I thought it was a Sauvignon Blanc. Pale in color, long on taste, this had some wonderful fresh citrus notes with a very admirable acid level. A smooth elegant mouthfeel with moderate length. A perfect crisp white for a typical July day. (90 pts.)

6 CaliCabs from the mid 90's and a 'ringer'

1995 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/2/2008)This sang right out of the bottle! Great deep crimson color. A beautiful nose of cassis, camphor and lilacs. The palate revealed amazing balance and breed, elegance and class. Wow. There were some fresh ground coffee beans, lead pencil shavings and soy all wrapped in a multi-layered dark fruit blanket. A long smooth finish beckons one back for a top-off. Wow. Started fading after an hour and a bit, but what an hour and a bit….This is what Bordeaux can only hope to be Did I say Wow? (94 pts.)

1995 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/2/2008)Hmmmm. This was a bit cooler to start so the initial thoughts were...well.... initial. Subdued, reticent and closed. Put aside for a bit.Great medium color with some bricking on the edges. Some currant and black fruits were coming through. A little awkward and clumsy. It never really came around. A perfectly sound wine but was a bit disappointing all around. (87 pts.)

1996 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled - USA, California, Napa Valley (7/2/2008)Not too dissimilar to the Montelena, this had a bit more going on. Some decent red and black fruits and a nice balance, but very low key. An elegant wine with a very nice moutfeel. A good finish but just a bit uninspiring. You are a good as the company you keep and this would have showed better had it been a lone bottle on the table. (89 pts.)

1996 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (7/2/2008)Bringing this one up to your nose you get a burst of eucalyptus . Great dark dense color. Wonderful red and black fruit medley with some secondaries of lead, mushroom and soy. A seamless tannin level and great structure. A very feminine cabernet, but more like a female bodybuilder than a ballet dancer. A long graceful finish closed the deal nicely. (92 pts.)
1997 Thunder Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Doc Miller - USA, California, Central Coast, Cienega Valley (7/2/2008)This was very different than anything else on the table. All red fruits and all brightly lit (lightning with the thunder? ) Red cherry was the forefront. The tannins were loosely knit and a moderately to high acid level. I though it had a mouthfeel of a better than average Merlot. This was a bit spicy in the midpalate. Hmmm?Not my style of Cabernet, but I can understand why some would like it.(my score reflects such) (88 pts.)
1997 Lakoya Cabernet Sauvignon This was angular and chewy. It was dark but I could not get past an overwhelming perfume emanating from my glass. I did not like this at all. N/R
2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/2/2008) (MYSTERY WINE)Served as a blind wine in an all CaliCab dinner. Disclaimer: I was under the impression it was a Cali so I may have gone into this wrong. Medium dark color. Good balance and mouthfeel. I initially spot either Petite Verdot and Cab Franc so I knew it was a blend. A bit subdued and reserved, this was pretty and elegant. I did miss my fruit though. There were some dark red cherries and plums. A little neutral oak was coming through as well. Reminded me of a few Phelps Insignias I have had. Not the best guy to judge Bordeaux so the egg on my face took a while to dry when I took a way off base guess. All in all a very nice wine indeed. (89 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard

The complete opposite to the Kanzler poured directly before it. The color deep garnet with purple tinges. Wonderful red fruit profile that reminds me more of a Burgundy that a Cali. Spring flowers and sweet red fruits on the nose. The tongue revealed crushed pebbles, red cherries, and some cinnamon. There is a clean and pure medium weight feel that exudes elegance grace and class. Nice minerality and structure with a acid level that sits smoothly and crisply in the background. Long graceful aftertaste. Wow (94 pts.)

2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard

Deep and dark with brooding intesity. This is a very full flavored pinot that will open the tired mans eyes and make a baby weep. Big pure dark cherries, milk chocolate, chewy tannins, and an acid level slighty above eye level. A full weight Pinot with a very long silky finish. (91 pts.)

2004 Corté Riva Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Deep dark color with purple tinged edges. The nose is pure cab with cassis & dark cherry cola. This is not as big and flamboyant as I expected. It's very clean, pure and exact. The palate has the same dark cherry cola that stands out above all else. Great structure and mouthfeel. Elegant with a 'quiet lush' profile, all with a very lively acid level. The tannins are super tight. An interesting bottle that will please even the super-picky cal cab drinker. This will be amazing in 5 years. Amazing (93 pts.)

2004 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Great dark garnet. Great ends there. Initially this was totally closed for business. After 1 hour some decent plush red and black fruits emerge on the nose. The palate was initially flabby in the middle and after the hour some nice currant and blackberry kirsch emerged. This is a mid weight cabernet. An ok acid level and maybe just a little hot, this is surely not the best example of this I have ever had. Hell, it's the worst actually. Its somewhat so-so mid-palate and an ok finish. An average Cabernet. 87 points

Did I tell you the color was....great?

1997 Livingston Moffett Cabernet Sauvignon Moffet Vineyard

USA, California, Napa Valley. This has some nice strong dark color that belies its age. It opens with some graphite and camphor on the nose. There is a tinge of fruit on the nose, but one must search pretty hard to spot it. The mouth-feel is very smooth and plush. There is some cassis, red and black berries, soy, pencil shavings, cedar, leather anda certain mild sweetness. Its a medium weight wine that has some elegance. Its fully resloved and pretty much at a point where holding willnot really help. Its a very pretty & pleasing Cabernet sourced from a wonderful vineyard. Nice balance and a decent finish make this a home-run, albeit a walk in homer. (90 pts.)

Vineyard Source: 100 % Moffett Vineyard / Rutherford Napa Valley95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc

Production Notes: Tons per acre: 2.75

Number of Cases: 896 cs. Brix it was picked at: 24.2Alcohol: 13.3% Release Date was September 1, 2000

2005 K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt Vineyard

USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope (5/24/2008)Ultra dark and opaque. This has slight purple on the edges. The nose has blueberries and white pepper. The palate is very sleek and clean. Not over the top, and very lively. Blueberries, meat, crushed pebbles, blackberry, red raspberry, and some sour cherries. There is a mélange of things happening here. Wait scratch that, it's a potpourri of fruits & joy! This has amazing lush mouthfeel and structure. The tannins are in check, and the acid is doing the high-wire walk. All so wonderfully balanced. This is a fun wine that should age nicely for a few years, but singing right here and now so why not?A long smooth aftertaste completes perfect package. $31. (93 pts.)

The passing of a true American icon: Robert Mondavi 1913-2008

I am a fan of both the man and his wines.

TN: Mystery Cabernet...and a story.

Sometimes we all need a lesson in humility. I was served one just recently in my own home. I try not to ever be pretentious or snobby when it comes to wine, but sometimes we get away from ourselves.

I was served a mystery wine on Saturday. Me being the wise ass I am, with knowing and only that it was a 1998 (not to mention it was about the 5th bottle of the night), I went right to Napa and then I started to guess, even asking if it were even Cabernet. (A cab theme diner).

Good color and density, (sure, its Napa). Decent cassis and blackberry (sure, it's Napa). Slight greenness and somewhat 'manufactured' in style (sure is a 1998). Good mouth feel and length, and nothing really bad. (Sure, its 1998...?). A little more midpalate explosion of fruit going sideways..."Is it even Cabernet? Maybe Merlot. OK Steve, what Napa Cab was this?"

Egg on my face:

Steve E's notes to me: 1998 Allegro Vineyards, "Cadenza", Brogue, York County, Pennsylvania (95% Cab Sauv. 3% Cab Franc, 2% Merlot) John Crouch (deceased) - WinemakerTim Crouch (deceased) - Vineyard manager"The "Cadenza" was a meritage that varied in its composition (my recollection is that this was the heaviest % of cab sauv that they used). They started doing it sometime in the late 1980s (I think). It wasn't done every year, but 1998 was the last one done. As I said last night, this was not the strongest effort among the Cadenza, but gave you a good idea of the style at Allegro under the Crouch's. Very Bordeaux".
Yes, you read it right. Pennsylvania. In that context, a very decent wine indeed.