AN ECLECTIC BRING YOUR OWN RED NIGHT - Los Olivos, CA (1/18/2014)
A dozen of us gathered to see how some dust-gathering reds would perform with ribeye steaks and chocolate. Not the most focused forum for taking detailed notes, but a really enjoyable night. On a side note, I was responsible for my first broken Zalto, and it wasn’t the stem as fate would have it, having cracked the bowl while trying to carry one too many, wedged between my arm and chest. Oh well, lesson learned…
Whites to Warm Up
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2010 G.D. Vajra Langhe Riesling Petracine - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
An effervescent, citrus nose (lime, I’d say) gives way to a clean, off-dry palate featuring floral notes, white peaches, almonds and minerality. Great balance, through to the lengthy finish. More Alsatian than German for sure, but somehow uniquely Italian. (91 pts.) -
2006 Castello della Sala (Antinori) Cervaro della Sala Umbria IGT - Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT
Very similar to the last bottle, with a bit more heft and richness. Complex floral nose of tropical fruit and sweet spices. Full bodied, with that glycerined texture this wine often features. Flavors of citrus, pear and apple. Medium to long finish, with plenty of balanced acidity. Not for the oak averse but I find this a great use of new oak. No rush to drink. (92 pts.) -
2012 Wind Gap Wines Trousseau Gris Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Just a quick taste of this. Light, citrusy/floral nose, with additional spice notes on the palate. Went down easy. Decent acidity. A touch of petrol starting to develop. (88 pts.)
Pre-Dinner Fun
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2001 Bedford Thompson Cabernet Franc - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Advanced but still vibrant. Pleasing dark fruit notes and a touch of leather. A high enough level of acidity (or heat?) that I found it distracting. (88 pts.) -
1989 Château Clerc Milon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Lightly bricked, medium dark color. A quick decant brought this beauty to life almost immediately. Some barnyard funk on the nose quickly blew off to reveal classic aged Bordeaux scents of cedar and mushroom. Earthy, smooth and generous on the palate, with pencil shaving and smoky pit fruit notes and a hint of the well integrated tannins. Fully mature, and glorious on this night. (93 pts.)
With the Steaks
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2000 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
From a magnum, slow-ox’ed all day but could have used a decant. I selected this to stand up amidst the other wines (and the ribeye) and it did not disappoint, though should develop in the years to come. I continue to find this atypical for a 2000. Yes, it’s ripe and robust, but neither clumsy nor hot to my palate. Beautiful nose of licorice and dried roses. While still tight, the palate displayed a dense set of complex flavor profiles: dark cherries, meat juice, lavender, some crushed rock. To be revisited in a few years. (94 pts.) -
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped & poured by a keen eyed guest who spied it in the rack and “needed it” with the steak, I was blown away by the depth and complexity of this wine, the first of my 2001’s I’ve opened. The reviews are much more mixed than I’d expect, but I found this to be gracious, complex and very, very rewarding. Dark red in color with a barnyard nose: leather, pepper, garrigue, herbs – dirty. Silky textured waves of earthy flavors and that Mourvedre texture in the mouth. Long, satisfying finish. Can you discern that I loved this? (95 pts.)
A Free-for All with Choclate Ganache Desserts
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1998 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
This was almost gone when I got to it, and may have faded. Dense and unyielding, with a sweet aspect clashing with fruit and spice notes. A tremendous amount of chunky sediment. (85 pts.) -
2009 Ouroboros Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
A new-ish project from Colin Murphy. Very fruit-forward and a touch sweet. Needs time to settle, I suspect. (86 pts.) -
1994 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill - USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Superb, mature Cali Cab. All class and restraint, yet compels you to return to the glass time and again. Tart bouquet of black and red fruits. Medium-bodied, with fine acidity and loads of residual fruit. Long, somewhat dry finish. Fully in-balance: why wait? (94 pts.) -
1996 Château Sénéjac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
Quite vibrant and enjoyable. Well structured, with balanced notes of dark fruit and cedar. Not a powerhouse, but outpunched its weight and then some. (89 pts.)
For me, the Barolo and Beaucastel stood out, each of which should hold years of pleasure ahead. My (relatively) clear head this morning tells me I did well not to chase down the Fladgate Tawny I saw floating around as well.
Posted from CellarTracker