SOME GREAT WINES WITH FRIENDS - The Barn at Walden (5/20/2017-5/21/2017)
Last Friday, my wife and I were invited to join Tom & Kathy, and some other of their friends for dinner at a local club that they belong to. It was a long dinner with lots of laughs, great food and some pretty good wines. Most of the wines were opened ahead and allowed to breathe for a couple of hours (no decanting).
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2005 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne - France, Champagne (5/20/2017)
Delicious. In a great place right now. The cork popped loudly. Light golden in color. The nose has chalk and is very slightly nutty. Great acidity. This is all about minerality rather than fruit. Some ginger.
Complex and layered. Long finish. Just beautiful right now but no hurry. Don’t expect a big champagne but great intensity. (95 pts.)
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2014 Myriad Cellars Sémillon McGah Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (5/21/2017)
This was a solid wine and maybe under different circumstances it might have been a point higher, maybe not. Light golden in color. The nose has some grapefruit to it. On the palate, it is tart yellow grapefruit. Good, but lack the depth or complexity I might have hoped for. Otoh, it is refreshing and tasty. (89 pts.) -
2014 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/20/2017)
Wow. This is actually an RP100. While I didn’t get that high, it was fantastic. Light gold in color with some white and green swirls. The nose has a lot of yellow grapefruit, with some spice and wax. Great texture. This is a broad wine without being over done. On the palate, more orange that grapefruit but the wax is there in a good way. Deep and complex. Seems like it would age well. I mentioned it reminded me of Pape Clement Blanc in many ways. Loved this wine. (97 pts.) -
2013 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/20/2017)
Wow is this good. Still young and may score higher. This is a great example of how oak can help a wine. It is there but its all good. I am not a fan of oak in white wines, but no complaints on this. Yellow in color. The nose is just gorgeous with peach, vanilla, slight spice and an almost but not candied note. On the palate, wonderful body and texture. All the flavors carry thru plus a bit of pineapple. Great balance. Every sip demands attention and then another sip. Really impressive. (97 pts.)
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2011 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/20/2017)
My first time trying this wine. Good but outclassed in the flight. Purple in color. The nose is pretty classic with cassis, green bell peppers and char. The bell peppers were a bit distracting for me. I don’t mind a bit, but this was just a hint more than I prefer. All the flavors carry through to the palate. Some depth. Slight complexity. Nice mouth feel. 14.8% alc surprised me. I I suspect in better vintages this can get pretty ripe but also be more to my liking. (91 pts.) -
2009 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus - USA, California, Napa Valley (5/20/2017)
It has been a while since I remember having this and it seemed to show better than I remembered. Purple in color. The nose is impressive with cassis, coffee, slight char, and spice and cedar. On the palate, a very lush texture yet balanced wine. Showing some tight layering that open in the glass. Black raspberries and spice with medium tannins. Long finish. A delicious wine that had no issues with food either. Very nice. (95 pts.) -
2010 Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (5/21/2017)
This was very good. It did have some funk on it which was in my wheel house but a bit too much for others. Purple in color. The nose has some barnyard funk, but also some cassis, cigar tobacco, and spice. On the palate, it is very tight but opened in the glass. Nice depth and complexity. A soft wine but still medium tannins left. Nice finish. drinks very Bordeaux-esque at this point. No hurry but not sure it gets better. Stick to well stored bottles. (94 pts.)
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2011 SonkinCellars Persona - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (5/21/2017)
Bias warning. This has always been our earliest drinking wine. It has some Petite Sirah in it that most vintages don’t and with time, that is developing more and more as the Syrah remains. I would think this is at peak but no hurry IMO. Very accessible. went well with our food. Different from our other wines. -
2013 SonkinCellars Persona - USA, California (5/21/2017)
Bias. I believe this is the best Persona we have made. It is still young and has plenty of upside. Drinking well now but plenty to tannins and development. I recommend lots of air but ymmv. -
2007 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (5/21/2017)
From Magnum. Just a killer bottle of wine. Inky purple in color. The nose is great. Black raspberries, black pepper, slight roasted meats, slight blueberries, and some floral notes. Clean and young. On the palate, what a great texture. In this era of Saxum wines, they were so powerful yet so light on their feet at the same time. Lots of black raspberries and blueberries, some earthiness and minerals. Complex. Juicy. Deep. Long finish. No hint that this wine has 15.8% alcohol. Just deliciousness and fantastic. Great wine. (99 pts.) -
2012 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (5/21/2017)
This was outstanding but did seem a bit shut down. Maybe that was just from being next to the 07 but it did seem to open in the glass. 2012 hasn’t really been a vintage to shut down so… Purple in color. The nose is very nice with black raspberries, slight roasted meats and a bit of a chalky note I had not noticed before. It is big and wide but not showing much development at this point. Medium tannins. Long finish. A powerful wine to be sure, while delicious and drinkable, its best days are still ahead. (96 pts.)
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2012 Andremily Syrah No. 1 - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (5/21/2017)
Great showing for this inaugural vintage of this wine. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, char, violets and slight roasted meats. On the palate, this is full bodied but sinewy at the same time. Firm tannins. Juicy acidity. Long finish. It seemed open with depth and some complexity but no doubt, will develop more if stored well. On the other, it is very good right now. (97 pts.) -
2012 Sine Qua Non Syrah Stock - USA, California, Central Coast (5/21/2017)
Another outstanding wine. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, roasted meat and herbs, black pepper and spice. On the palate, this is typical of a lot of 2012’s. Open and huge with depth but not as much focus and delineation. That is neither good nor bad, just a bit different. This is outstanding. On the palate, black raspberry fruit with a bit of earthiness and some char. A bit peppery. Long finish. A nice treat. (95 pts.)
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1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (5/21/2017)
Pop and Pour, but finished the remains on Day 2. A bit better on day 2, but only slightly. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has milk chocoalte covered raisins and raspberries. On the palate, slightly sweet, a hint of heat, but delicious black cherry fruit with a bit of chocolate and raisin. Some complexity. Seems like a very good, bot great year for Fonseca VP. (93 pts.)
It was a great night of friendship. Thanks to Tom and Kathy for the invite!
Posted from CellarTracker