The bat signal was sent out last week and five of us were able to get together for the loose theme “red wine”. Always a treat for me and a nice way to start 2015.
2005 St. Cosme “Valbelle” Gigondas:
deep garnet color, clean nose. Plummy notes with some gamey notes and smoke. This is by far the most tannic wine of the bunch. Full body. Slight heat. I think it could use a few more years to settle down.
2008 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard, San Mateo County, Pinot Noir:
Deep ruby, clear color. Great nose of ripe cherries. Silky mouthfeel. Light on the palate, yet so juicy. Drinking great and still quite youthful.
2012 Bookers RLF, Paso Robles, Red blend:
This has 71% grenache and 29% syrah. Deep garnet color. Ripe rasberry jam and cinnamon sugar and a good dose of vanilla. Medium (+) body. Round mouthfeel. Soft plush finish with no signs of tannins. Very approachable wine. Fwiw, the abv is 13.7%.
2007 Hughes Wellman Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena Napa:
First time i had this label from Cameron Hughes. Inky opaque, dense color. Wow, what an intense nose. Big ripe black fruits. Notes of grape jelly or candy, but not in offensive way. Full body and well balanced through out. Well integrated tannins. Decadently delish.
2001 Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere, St. Emilion:
Ahhh. Nice shift from all the ripe fruit from above. This wine has all the secondary flavors and is at a great drinking window. An intense and complex nose of some barnyard, tobacco mixed in with some red fruits.
Well integrated and relaxed on the palate. A fine wine at the right time.
Cheers,
Lou