Playing Catch-up pt. 3

MIDWEST WINE AND FOOD EXPO

There was a major wine tasting. I walked around and tried all of these wines, which were only about a fourth of what was available. Seriously, I had to skip major sections just to get to everything I wanted to try. Most I remember; some I don’t. I had to spit a lot. It turns out you can taste a lot of wines that way, but you’ve got to be careful to still clear that palate during a long string of heavy reds.

The notes in italics are any notes I had the time to scribble down while balancing my papers and wine glass.

Henriot Champagne Blanc NV
Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Binyamina Chardonnay 2005 -standard
Binyamina “The Cave” 2003
Carmel Hamasrek “The King’s Blend” 2003 -ok
Tapestry Shiraz 2004

Evans & Tate Chardonnay 2004
Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 -surprisingly good
Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2004
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2005 -meh
Ch. Bonnet Blanc 2005
Mouton Cadet Blanc 2005 -fresh
Ch. Graville Lacoste 2005
Ch. Carbonnieux Blanc 2003
Bellevue la Mongie Rose 2005
Ch. Doisy Vedrines 2003
Ch. Bernadotte 2003
Ch. La Lagune 2003
Ch. Poujeaux 2003
Ch. Beycheville 2003
Ch. Lagrange 2003
Ch. Gruaud Larose 2003
Ch. Pibran 2003
Ch. Grand Puy Ducasse 2003
Ch. Clerc Milon 2002
Ch. Meyney 2003
Ch. Phelan Segur 2003
Haut Marbuzet 2003
Las Brisas 2005 -refreshing after all that Bordeaux
Nora 2005
Gelida Cava “Brut Exclusive” 2002
Borsao Rose 2005
Garnacha de Fuego 2005
Luzon 2005 -I think I don’t like grenache
Cycles Gladiator Pinot Grigio 2005 -sticky sweet
Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir 2005
Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 -okay
Hugo Gruner Veltliner 2005
Mettler Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 -beautiful
Robert Craig Affinity Cabernet 2003
Mettler Petite Syrah 2003
“J” Sparkling 2000
Two Hands Angel’s Share Shiraz 2005 - :)
Laurent Perrier Rose NV
Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle NV
Giesen Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Wishing Tree Shiraz 2004
Hewitson Miss Harry GSM 2004
Shoo Fly Shiraz 2004 - :(
d’Arenberg Coppermine Cabernet 2003
d’Arenberg Laughing Magpie 2004
d’Arenberg Ironstone Pressing 2003
Chateau Tayac Margaux 2000
Marquis Philips Shiraz 2004
Parson’s Flat Shiraz/Cab 2004
Paringa Sparkling Shiraz 2004 -gross as hell
Hawk Crest “Red Hills” Cabernet 2004
Stag’s Leap “Artemis” Cabernet 2004 -rough
Stag’s Leap “Fay” Cabernet 2003 -tight
Raymond Reserve Cabernet 2002
Rosenblum San Francisco Bay Zin 2004
Rosenblum Paso Robles Zin 2004
Rosenblum Vintner’s Cuvee Syrah 2004
Rosenblum Heritage Clones Petite Syrah 2004
Kenwood Artists Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Fisher Coach Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Girard Red 2002 -soft

Piper Heidsieck Brut NV
Merryvale Starmont Cabernet 2003
Merryvale Profile 2002 -supple
Sterling Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Zind Humbrecht “Zind” 2003
Ramey Chardonnay, Hudson 2003
Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Conundrum 2005
Stag’s Leap Winery Cabernet 2003
Lorentz Pinot Blanc Reserve 2005 - :(

Lorentz Riesling Reserve 2005
Lorentz Pinot Gris Reserve 2005
Lorentz Gewurztraminer Reserve 2004
Domaine Parent Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2003
BR Cohn Olive Hill Cabernet 2001
Merques de Casa Concha Cabernet 2004
Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva 2003
Allegrini Amarone 2001 - :) !!!
L de Lyeth Cabernet 2004
Lyeth Meritage 2003
Hayman & Hill Cabernet 2003
Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir 2005
Hartwell Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Cloud 9 “Seity” Zinfandel 2004 -excellent

X-Winery X-Red 2004
Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2005
Cline Ancient Vines Mourvedre 2004
Consentino “The Zin” 2004
Consentino “Cigar Zin” 2005
Consentino Napa Cabernet 2002
Ferrari Carano Cabernet Savignon 2003
Ferrari Carano Siena 2003
Beringer Reserve Cabernet 2002
Chateau St. Jean California Cabernet 2003 - :(

Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 2002 - :)
Franciscan Magnificat 2002
Estancia Meritage 2003
Cerreto Barolo Zonchero 2001 -no
Newton Claret 2003
Chandon Chardonnay 2004
Moet Nectar NV
Moet White Star NV
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV
Chandon Etoile NV
Baron Herzog Cabernet Jeunesse 2005 – ewwwww
Baron Herzog Special Reserve Cab/Syrah 2002
Barkan Reserve Cabernet 2002
Barkan Petite Syrah 2004 – soft and fleshed out

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MARGAUX

I also had the opportunity (at the same event) to sit through a Bordeaux seminar, specifically through some of the greatest Margaux. My notes, cleaned up for the internet:

Cantenac Brown 2003
N – Plum jam, almost raisin-like burn.
M – Supple and smooth, partially full mouthfeel, healthy.

Prieure Lichine 2003
N – Dustier, with vanilla and oak, berries.
M – Something young, modest. Needs age.

Lascombes 2001
N – Big fruit…plenty of merlot.
M – Vegetation under the fruit. Tight and tannic.

Rauzan Segla 2003
N – Vanilla and floral scents.
M – Too much oak. Not much else, some understated fruit. Massive tannins.

Palmer 1999
N – Subtle. Perfume; delicate fruit and pollen.
M – Massive tannin. Very rich.

Margaux 1999
N – Deep red fruits – raspberry, plum, cassis.
M – Dust, underripe berries. Fantastic, and it still feels boldly young after seven years.

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Needless to say, my lips were bluish purple the day after this tasting.

Playing Catch-up pt. 2

THE PORT TASTING

Recently, I got the chance to go through a pretty reasonable selection of vintage ports and red table wines from the Duoro. Interesting and educational.

The first three were red table wines from the Duoro region, which I didn’t particularly care for. It seems that if you’re going to get a red wine, you should look for something that isn’t so heavily limited in varietal and climate as these. The table wines are still thick and almost too rich, reflecting some of the heavy residual sugar of actual ports, while missing that comfortable full roundness of something like a California zinfandel.

The vintage ports were certainly great. The quality was instantly noticeable, especially to someone like me who had previously only sampled shiraz- or zinfandel- based ‘port’ wines from outside of Portugal. These wines are great, but often leave a thick sugary finish that can get pretty cloyingly sweet. It was quite interesting to note how age affected the ports over the years. They start off as a balance of fruit and sugar and full body. First the fruit falls back in the mix to expose something more subtle, like spice and chocolate. The wine stays balanced as these complexities emerge, around the ten or even twenty year mark. After that the more intricate complexities also fall out, making the older bottles a sort of a disappointment. The sweetness lingers as the other flavors fade back and the port actually seems to thin. This leaves something less than perfect, like drinking a sweetener with little other flavor.

The following is pretty much a direct copy of my notes, only transcribed into readable sentences:

Dow’s 2004 Vale do Bomfim Douro Reserva

Ruby colored. On the nose, a floral hint, and the usual smell of generic red wine. Noticeably less sweet than regular port. A little thin on the mouth, with very little acidity. Dusty soil and thin fruit, with slight but present tannins.

Post Scriptum Douro 2004

Again, ruby colored. This one has more structure but still isn’t huge by any means. Oak is present on the nose and in the mouth. This wine is also a bit soft. Our speaker compared the bottle to a tempranillo feel with less oak.

Chryseia 2001 Douro

Ruby. Much more fruit on the nose of this wine! The nose of jammy sweetness. The mouth is more full with a nice finish. In contrast to the nose, there is less fruit on the palate. Deep, dark fruit under a soft wine with tannins far below everything else.

Dow’s Qinta da Senhora da Ribeira 2004 Vintage Port

Finally some port. This has a deep ruby color. On the nose, alcohol. Rubbing alcohol, and a little subdued fruitiness. The mouth has tons of residual sugar and heavy, ripe fruit. This wine seems comparable to a young, heavy, sugary California zinfandel.

Graham’s 2003 Vintage Port

Alcohol on the nose, but much less. The wine is quite sweet and sugary. Rich. A huge finish.

Dow’s 2003 Vintage Port

Even less alcohol on the nose. The flavors are more subtle, round and underspoken. Slightly spicy on the finish.

Dow’s 1994 Vintage Port

The color has now shifted to a dusty, brick red. Again, alcohol is more noticeable on the nose, along with some spice and fruit. The flavor is perhaps herbal, and perhaps a bit burnt, like raisins out in the sun too long.

Graham’s 1991 Vintage Port

Dustier in color. Something like chocolate with a hint of spice, and perhaps a bit metallic on the finish, with lots more spice.

Graham’s 1983 Vintage Port

Brick red, in contrast to the burnt sienna colors of the previous two. Again, softer with some chocolate. Maybe herbs, or even grass.

Dow’s 1977 Vintage Port

Sediment is present. Much lighter in color, almost clear at the very edge of the glass. The nose has cinnamon and other spices, and a honey-sweetness is very heavy (The speaker disagrees with this, suggesting that this port has no sweetness on the nose). The mouthfeel is much softer, very light. The flavor is thin yet explosive, with an alcohol presence. Very long finish.

Graham’s 1970 Vintage Port

Again sediment, colored a light brick fading to orange. There is a disintegrating sweetness on the underwhelming nose. The wine is thin but still quite sweet. Any trace of berry fruitiness has disappeared.

Graham’s Six Grapes

Quite thick and dark. A little more cloying sweetness than even the ’03 and ’04 ports. Still a very good bottle of port. I’ll have to recommend it to anyone who doesn’t want to pay eighty dollars a bottle for a vintage port.

Playing Catch-up pt. 1

Pillar Box Red 2005

Beautiful and full of fruit. Almost 60% Cabernet offers some tannic backbone, but the Aussie-style shiraz-heavy fruit is what shines through. Really full body and mouth-coating. A serious deal at less than 10 bucks.

Domaine de Roche Saint Jean - Beaujulais Morgon 2004

Something cheap on closeout. Not bad, considering what it is, which is soft and light and easy to drink. I guess there’s a reason that wine from Beaujulais never seems to break 90 points on any scale, but there are always folks out there who like to drink softer wines.

Heitz Cellars

Heitz Chardonnay 2005

Light and crisp, quite beautiful. A tiny influence of oak but not too much by any means. A quencher, in the mood of sauvignon blanc while still patently chardonnay.

Heitz Grigolino

Strange, and not in a good way. This wine has an almost sugary-sweet nose, like how a sweet blush would taste. In the mouth it is much more dry than expected, very thin, and just a little unpleasant. I guess a non wine drinker might like this, but I can’t see why.

Heitz Bella Oaks 2001
Heitz Bella Oaks 1996
Heitz Martha's Vineyard 2001
Heitz Napa 2001

It is now a few weeks after trying these wines, so I’ve lost the specific differences other than the up-front green vegetal nature of the ’96. I thought all were of reasonable quality, fitting the definition of cabernet with big tannins and subdued fruit, they did not live up to their reputation. Even the Martha’s vineyard seemed to be lacking something.

Heitz Port

They try to keep this one faithful to Port by using original port varietals found in the Duoro. I might suggest that those grapes are best suited to growing in the harsh climates of Portugal and not the lush environment in California. The wine tends to be too thin for a port (yet too heavy and syrupy for any other kind of wine) which I suggest is a result of too much rain and too large and heavy of grapes.

Mojito Time!

Following the latest drink craze, I've learned to mix my own mojitos. It's not tough, but it is sort of time consuming. Mint leaves, lime, rum, simple sugar, and soda makes a great drink.