Got together with board member and friends this past weekend to celebrate my 30th at Lake Buchanan here in TX. The food was comprised of prime ribeyes and Flannery skirts and hangers. A lot of the tasting was of Jack Daniels, but we did pop some nice bottles and I even took a few notes.
2004 Outpost Grenache – Candied red fruit and pine tree resin on a slightly muted nose. The palate kind of falls apart, coming off hot and VERY piney with red fruits, pepper, and heat in the background. I really enjoyed the 07 vintage of this wine, but this one did not hold up.
2004 Saxum James Berry Bone Rock – This needed some time to come around but when it did, it rocked. Nose is beautiful and complex with black fruit, olives, cola, and an unusual hint of mint. On the palate the wine is intensely powerful yet well balanced showing deep black fruit, the perfect touch of oak, olives, and a very long finish. Overall my wine of the trip and a stunning effort.
1979 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Very mature CA cab notes on the nose with subtle mint, leather, dried red fruits, tobacco, and mineral….its all there in a very soft way. Very nice with the steak and overall a decent birthday wine out of magnum. Barely clinging to life at this point. Probably around an 87 point effort at these late stages of its life.
2003 Quilceda Creek Red Wine – A younger richer 1979 Mondavi perhaps….who knows! Cassis, mint, thick red fruits on the nose and palate with a luscious mouthfeel and slightly harsh tannins. An amazingly long finish and a great QPR.
NV Cedric Bouchard Infloresence – A stunning near perfect wine in my opinion, linear crisp, beautiful citrus fruit. I am curious about aging these wines, but I really see no reason to make me want to age this wine…stunning and right on par with the Bone Rock.
1979 Grand Puy Lacoste – Showing mushrooms, forrest floor, and faded fruit on the nose. The color is still deep and dark, but this wine is pretty much dead.
2006 D’ Issan – Perfume with new world dark black fruits on the nose. I know its a point of contention, but this wine simply tastes like it was concocted in a laboratory. It is a decent wine but nowhere near the purity, quality, and integration of the 2005. To me it is very obviously new world and extracted (I guess only blind could reveal the truth).
We also had a 2007 Foley The Griffin that I found very nice and well priced. Overall a great evening and great birthday…albeit striper fishing in 30 degrees is not typical TX.
sorry.
