Thanks to Kevin for bringing the Flannery’s and telling me about this site. I now know where everyone went ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I finally understand all the accoldates about the Flannery Rib Cap. What a piece of meat and a good excuse to pull some 90’s cab. The only problem was I pulled a lot of others and kind of forgot about the wine theme so below are impressions instead of notes. Too many wines consumed too fast…
With the apps- Salmon Bruschetta( why did Flemings take this off the menu ??), Caprese Salad, Scallops on toast points with guac- sounds weird, tastes great
05 Londer Corby Vineyards Chard- WS gave this 95 pts. This is a very nice wine and a heck of a qpr. It needed several hours to really wake up. You really get the green apple on this wine with some nice secondary tropical fruit. The mineral component shines through on the finish with extended air. I think this will be a really nice wine but needs some time. Very fresh will little oak influence. Good stuff and crazy value at $ 27.
07 Holdredge Wrep Hop Pinot- had not tasted this since November during our visit. I think this is going to be a special wine. Nice cherry and more earth/mineral than I remember with a bit of spice. Trademark acid and terrific mouthfeel. The wine was just starting to show it’s stuff with several hours of air. I’m going to leave these alone for awhile. Love the Holdredge 07’s…
07 Ruston Semillon deLormier Vineyard Alexander Valley- opened this quickly to try with the scallops. This is a great qpr wine. This wine has a nice richness to it. I get pear, a little tropical fruit and cream. This was fermented in steel tanks and is a great wine for the summer and was terrific with the scallops. Need to buy more.
Needed a few others to sip on while the beef cooked. My buddy and fellow Trespass fan brought the Franc and the CS. Things started to get a bit sideways…
05 Trespass Cab Franc- 2nd time I’ve had it this week. This has turned out to be a nice wine. Similar to the 03 perhaps not as much fruit. Did not get much of a decant. Nice red fruit with some mocha and a touch of spice. This is an elegant wine that is drinking nice right now. I’ll enjoy these while letting the 06 rest
05 Trespass Cab Sauv- I really like this wine and glad I have a bunch. Big, black cherry with a bit of spice and mocha. Tannins are there but not overpowering at all.This wine has weight but showed very nice balance. This one didn’t get much of a decant either. I think it’s a very good wine that will get better.
05 Ruston CS- I have really wanted to try this and the Trespass side by side but the night did not allow for serious review of most of the wines. Our visits with both in November were the highlights of our Napa trip. I’ve had the Ruston a few more times since then. This is drinking really nice now. Black fruit, currant a bit of mocha and vanilla from the oak. It’s got the weight to stay balanced. Really like this wine. Bought some more recently from a crazy sale at Woodland Hills.
What the heck happened to our original theme- 90’s cabs with Flannery Rib Cap, Corn Gratin, Shrimp and Orzo pasta( not a food thread but hats off to all our cooks. A great job and the beef was faboulous)
99 Etude Napa Cab- I spent some time with this one. The Napa from 97-02 are hands down my favorite cabs. This one showed great. It had several hours of air exposure and showed the classic Etude profile- Lot’s of black cherry with currant and spice. Resolved tannins. Very fresh. I think it’s drinking optimally. Don’t think it’s going to go downhill anytime soon but why wait. My WOTN.
99 Cinq Cepage- had set this aside for Kevin and his lovely wife. This wine was part of their courtship and honeymoon. Wished it showed better last nigtht. I think it was a bit corky or off. I just got too much funk on the finish. Kevin thought the fruit had just passed on and it had quite a bit of leather. Bought this one secondhand and always wondered about the storage. Either way it was not it’s best night especially against these other beauty’s
Here’s where my wine regrets really kick in as I did not get a chance to really consider these wines as I about had my fill
96 La Jota Howell Mountain- I have no experience with older Howell cabs and would have really like to have this earlier in the night. It was big, dark and did not seem like it’s age. Black fruit perhaps some cigar or leather. A bit more bdx than Napa ?? or my palate was just as shot as my brain. It was Kevin’s WOTN.
97 Heitz Trailside- my last one and one of my alltime favorite cabs. Why the heck did I pull this ?? Seemed like it was in great shape. I just love this trailside. It did seem very fresh. Not at all tired like I was. Will have to find a few more on the auction sites…
And just for kicks
2003 Corte Riva PS- Thought a big in your face wine would be nice to try against the rib cap. Good idea. Don’t remember much other than it’s a real bruiser. Have half a bottle left so will have this today with leftovers. Glad I pulled the plug and switched to H20 !
All in all a great night of food and wine with good friends.