We went to a Ruth’s Chris wine dinner last night featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars wines. First time tasting their wines for us. We both thought the featured wines were excellent. I was a little surprised that I enjoyed their whites so much. I was more prepared going in for the Cabs to be impressive and they did not disappoint.
2019 AVETA Sauvignon Blanc
2018 KARIA Chardonnay
2020 ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon
2016 FAY Cabernet Sauvignon
BTW, The food courses were tasty and paired well with the wines.
2004 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (5/4/2023)
Over 19 years this wine has evolved from an undrinkable weedy mess into a delicious Burgundy. Plenty of fruit, good complexity. Drink or hold. (93 points)
2002 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese * -
I have a bunch of 2001 and 2002 Auslese I’m just starting to open up. 2002 is underrated. This is deep golden. Light botrytis/pineapple nose. But on the palate this wine shines. I got intense apricots. Very full flavored and unctuous, just rolls in your mouth and fills it with loads of fruit but still showing acid. Very long finish of that initial pineapple I noticed on the nose. Drinking beautifully now but I dare say it will live for another 5 years.
I slowed down after 17 and the 18 prop red was my last purchase. And i may have bought 18 ERA. But they were better 12-14 for me. What made you stop buying?
I emailed them 3 times and told them on the phone twice that I will not take any 2020 reds and I’ll rather substitute them with something else. They still sent me two in one shipment. I emailed them again and said I am intending to drop off the list, and that I won’t renew the card on file because I don’t intend on buying. They then charged a full 6 bottle shipment of 2020 reds on a card that was expired 2 months ago (Amex has a soft expiration). I’m never buying another A-O bottle again.
(and yes, I could have returned them etc etc, but instead of going through that hassle, I’ll just take my business elsewhere. It’s not like there is a shortage of full bodied oaky Napa cabs).
Dark ferrous bloody red. Nose has bright red berries, lingonberries, ripe red cherries, some tart pinot-typical cranberries, very slight touch of lift, almost VA but not anything that really bothers, rosemary, and hint of oak. Palate is fresh, nice acidity with ripe fruit. It has a nice mouthfeel. Red fruit, cranberries, and a distinct spiciness that follows through the nice finish. Good Pinot, somewhat simple and linear but this can take a few years and develop some complexity and will become something really good.
I had the 2018 rully 1er le meix cadot vv few times and they have always been wonderful although still young. Love the minerality, white fruit and just the right amount of freshness this wine brings.
Back in the day, I used to enjoy the heavier domestic and Aussie Rhone blends and Syrahs (still like Saxum, though). So in May 2008, I had just won a Pioneer GoPro equivalent, flipped it, and took the PayPal proceeds to Binnys, and came home with a 2003 Torbreck Run Rig.
With a nice ribeye in the offing this past Monday, I popped it, and immediately enjoyed the aromas of wet cardboard, VA and an alcohol blast. I recorked it, and it has thankfully gotten much worse, so I don’t even need to taste it in the interests of science.
I liked it a lot more than the Richard Leroy we also had, though that opinion wasn’t universal.
