It was an incredibly windy day on our visit to the Calistoga wine area, just north of Napa-proper. The wind knocked out the power to the traffic lights on the main thoroughfare into the Napa Valley, rendering our trip a mild agitation at the outset. However, we persevered and made a quick stop to one of our favorites at the edge of the Napa Valley, Trefethen Family Vineyards. After our visit to Trefethen, we ventured onward. On the list for the day were visits to Chateau Montelena, the famed Judgment of Paris winner, among other smaller wineries near the famed Chateau. This area of the Napa Valley is highly regarded for its production of top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, so the expectation was high for some beautiful fruit. Below are my tasting "thoughts" regarding our visits.
Chateau Montelena ($20 tasting fee, 5-6 wines tasted)
First on the list was the Chateau's Dry Riesling. Available only at the winery, the wine was very light in flavor but strong in bouquet. A strong citrus smells accompanies an almost tart palate. Mildly balanced with a touch of oak, the wine was suitable for spicy foods, with a decent acidity that could cut through meals.
My excitement increased significantly when we got to taste the Chardonnay. Ch. Montelena became famous for their Chardonnay, made in the French-style with light oaky flavors and an overall lack of the stereotypical California style, buttery and oaky Chards. This Chardonnay did not disappoint. A very beautifully balanced white, drinkable with nearly any food or suitable by itself. Just an excellent blend of flavors, hints of vanilla and orange blossoms with just a hint of oak and hazelnut on the finish. Absolutely wonderful. And, for $50 per bottle, it should be.
Other wines were somewhat forgettable at Montelena, such as the Zinfandel. The wine lacked any notes of standard CA Zins, with little depth, fruit concentration and really no flavor. Flabby. The Cabernet Sauv. was decent, although far from transcendent. The Estate Cab. was nice but overpriced ($125 per bottle). Overall, my experience at Montelena was simply that of a museum visit. Great history, but not worth the $20 tasting fee.
Summers Estate Wines
The Summers Estate Winery is located just down the road from Ch. Montelena, in a field surrounding by a horse stable and full-fledged grape vines. A beautiful tasting room with bright sunshine, we were incredibly impressed with the wines and the environment. For a $10 tasting fee (waived with wine purchase), you'll get to taste a variety of wines, mainly reds, with even a variety of styles. The Chardonnay was delightful, nice and light with your standard Chardonnay flavors, touches of citrus and oak. The crowd favorite at Summers is the Charbono, a lighter red wine only produced in CA. I thought this wine lacked considerable flavor depth, but combined with the dark chocolate served with the wine, it improved dramatically.
One of my favorites was the Knights Valley Merlot. This wine does not disappoint. Large, velvety fruit accompanies a light vanilla and toasted oak flavor. The nose is robust and this wine displays considerable complexity. Combine this wine with a dark chocolate dessert and you're evening will be perfection.
The remaining wines at Summers were all quite palatable. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the Muscat Canelli, an apertif with high sugar and orange blossom flavors. Just a touch of carbonation associated with this wine is delightful. This wine would be suitable with spicy foods as well.
The final wine I tasted was a Bordeaux-style blend called the Checkmate. I look forward to aging this particular wine in my cellar for the next 5 years. The taste was wonderfully complex and shows great signs of a wine that will age well.
Envy Wines
A hidden gem in Calistoga, the Envy Wines tasting experience was truly outstanding. We tasted 10-15 wines for a tasting fee of $10. The stars in the crowd were the 3 Petite Sirah wines we tasted in comparison as well as the To Kalon Cab from Carter. Truly outstanding. I highly recommend visiting this winery and plan to enter into their flexible wine club very soon!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
A Visit to Bonny Doon Vineyards Tasting Room in Santa Cruz, CA
I've been a fan of Bonny Doon wines from the first time I tasted the Le Cigare Volant a few years ago at dinner. As such, I've wanted to taste their other wines and what better way to do so than in their newly outfitted tasting room in Santa Cruz. My tasting notes follow below.
2007 Metamorphosis I, Aurora ($22):
The Metamorphosis is a white varietal consisting of 50% Rousanne, 41% Loureira, and 9% Treixadura. The appearance is very light in nature, resembling an Extra Virgin Olive Oil color, perhaps lighter. The nose offers a bouquet of pear and vanilla, very pleasant. The first taste shows signs of high sugar, incredibly sweet then blending a coriander flavor with a heavy mouthfeel. Nice finish with subtle tartness. Overall, this was a pleasant wine, very drinkable with white meats or fish.
2008 Paso Robles Viognier ($20):
This 100% Viognier is very traditional for a Rhone-style white. The appearance is, again, very light straw and the nose offers toasted oak and asaparagus. The flavor is very intriguing, with my initial flavor as being a lightly aged cheese (probably from the rind) with sweet orange blossom and hyacinth notes. This wine offers a fantastic rounded finish, one of the best finishes I've found from a Viognier. Overall, my favorite white wine we tasted offering a beautiful bouquet and sweet blended flavors rendering some complexity. I can see this wine paired with a nice grilled fish. I rated this wine very highly, 93.
2007 Imagine ($28):
The Imagine wine is a blend of two Italian grapes, 70% Freisa (meaning strawberry) and 30% Sangiovese (the grape associated with Chianti).The label of this wine shows a caricature of John Lennon walking on what appears to be Abbey Road. Overall, this Italian blend offers a bright ruby/garnet appearance with transparency. Notes of strawberry, cassis and licorice adorn the nose with cherry and tannic flavors dominating the palate. Overall, the finish is quite dry and may benefit from some aging in the bottle. The flavor structure remains fairly straight-forward, with little associated complex. The wine is fine, rating an 83 in my book.
2004 Le Cigare Volant ($30):
Le Cigare Volant is one of my all time favorite red wines. This particular vintage offers a blend of Grenache (38%), Syrah (35%), Mourvedre (12%), Carignane (8%) and Cinsault (7%). The appearance of Le Cigare Volant is a darker, transparent garnet with scents of blackberry and lavender on the nose. The palate offers big fruit up front, with a faint oak flavor in the finish. I also detect a mild spiciness and a nicely rounded, dry finish. My notes indicate this is an excellent wine that could stand to age a bit longer to soften the finish but is ready now as well. Great wine, rated 94.
2007 Cinsault ($22):
It is quite rare to find a Cinsault made in the US and this one does not disappoint. A blend of 85% Cinsault with 15% Pinot Noir, the appearance shows a bright ruby color that fades to the edge and becomes quite dull, showing characteristic signs of pinot noir inclusion. The nose offers a nutty cheese with earthy tones and bright cherries. Upon tasting, the bright cherry comes through along with characteristic pinot flavors. I also detected a faint cedar note. Being a pinot lover, I truly loved this wine. The finish was well rounded and ready for consumption today. Great wine, rated 92.
2007 Angel Paille ($20):
The Angel Paille is a dessert wine that is a combination of Grenache Blanc (92%), Viognier (5.5%), and Rousanne (2.5%). The appearance is a very light orange hue that reminded me of orange gelatin. The nose offers wonderful scents of orange blossoms with a very faint cherry scent. The taste is an immediate shock to the palate after tasting reds, due to the very high sugar flavor. Tastes of honeycomb and orange blossom fit this wine well and the finish is wonderfully rounded. Overall, a very nice dessert wine, rated 89.
Overall, we had a great tasting experience at Bonny Doon and look forward to tasting future wines!
2007 Metamorphosis I, Aurora ($22):
The Metamorphosis is a white varietal consisting of 50% Rousanne, 41% Loureira, and 9% Treixadura. The appearance is very light in nature, resembling an Extra Virgin Olive Oil color, perhaps lighter. The nose offers a bouquet of pear and vanilla, very pleasant. The first taste shows signs of high sugar, incredibly sweet then blending a coriander flavor with a heavy mouthfeel. Nice finish with subtle tartness. Overall, this was a pleasant wine, very drinkable with white meats or fish.
2008 Paso Robles Viognier ($20):
This 100% Viognier is very traditional for a Rhone-style white. The appearance is, again, very light straw and the nose offers toasted oak and asaparagus. The flavor is very intriguing, with my initial flavor as being a lightly aged cheese (probably from the rind) with sweet orange blossom and hyacinth notes. This wine offers a fantastic rounded finish, one of the best finishes I've found from a Viognier. Overall, my favorite white wine we tasted offering a beautiful bouquet and sweet blended flavors rendering some complexity. I can see this wine paired with a nice grilled fish. I rated this wine very highly, 93.
2007 Imagine ($28):
The Imagine wine is a blend of two Italian grapes, 70% Freisa (meaning strawberry) and 30% Sangiovese (the grape associated with Chianti).The label of this wine shows a caricature of John Lennon walking on what appears to be Abbey Road. Overall, this Italian blend offers a bright ruby/garnet appearance with transparency. Notes of strawberry, cassis and licorice adorn the nose with cherry and tannic flavors dominating the palate. Overall, the finish is quite dry and may benefit from some aging in the bottle. The flavor structure remains fairly straight-forward, with little associated complex. The wine is fine, rating an 83 in my book.
2004 Le Cigare Volant ($30):
Le Cigare Volant is one of my all time favorite red wines. This particular vintage offers a blend of Grenache (38%), Syrah (35%), Mourvedre (12%), Carignane (8%) and Cinsault (7%). The appearance of Le Cigare Volant is a darker, transparent garnet with scents of blackberry and lavender on the nose. The palate offers big fruit up front, with a faint oak flavor in the finish. I also detect a mild spiciness and a nicely rounded, dry finish. My notes indicate this is an excellent wine that could stand to age a bit longer to soften the finish but is ready now as well. Great wine, rated 94.
2007 Cinsault ($22):
It is quite rare to find a Cinsault made in the US and this one does not disappoint. A blend of 85% Cinsault with 15% Pinot Noir, the appearance shows a bright ruby color that fades to the edge and becomes quite dull, showing characteristic signs of pinot noir inclusion. The nose offers a nutty cheese with earthy tones and bright cherries. Upon tasting, the bright cherry comes through along with characteristic pinot flavors. I also detected a faint cedar note. Being a pinot lover, I truly loved this wine. The finish was well rounded and ready for consumption today. Great wine, rated 92.
2007 Angel Paille ($20):
The Angel Paille is a dessert wine that is a combination of Grenache Blanc (92%), Viognier (5.5%), and Rousanne (2.5%). The appearance is a very light orange hue that reminded me of orange gelatin. The nose offers wonderful scents of orange blossoms with a very faint cherry scent. The taste is an immediate shock to the palate after tasting reds, due to the very high sugar flavor. Tastes of honeycomb and orange blossom fit this wine well and the finish is wonderfully rounded. Overall, a very nice dessert wine, rated 89.
Overall, we had a great tasting experience at Bonny Doon and look forward to tasting future wines!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tasting Notes: Frog's Leap Vineyards
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Napa Valley wine country and took some notes at the tasting rooms that I visited. Here are my notes for Frog's Leap. Overall, the experience at the winery is truly fantastic. The surrounding gardens provide a very beautiful environment in which to sample the wines of the vineyard. The tasting experience itself includes a seated tasting of 4 wines, paired with a small plate of cheese, crackers, California almonds and dried fruits.
Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc (Rutherford) 2008 ($18): The Sauv. Blanc offers a very light olive oil appearance and served chilled. The nose provides fruits such as grapefruit and a touch of lime mixed with lemongrass. On the palate, the wine was slightly salty with very little depth. Strangely, the finish was instant and slightly bitter, offering stronger lime flavors. Overall, this was a simple wine with a bright nose but little complexity. The flavors, as is often the case, do not closely resemble the nose. Rating: 84.
Frog's Leap Zinfandel (Napa Valley) 2007 ($27): This wine was not 100% Zin, but offered in a blend of Zin (76%), Petite Sirah (19%) and Carignane (5%). The blended wine leads to a dark, lush velvety appearance with a faint leading edge. The nose provides smoky scents with hints of butter, spice and ground pepper with big, jammy fruit after aeration. The palate receives big fruit such as black cheery and a light oak-driven smoke flavor and beautiful velvety mouthfeel. This wine was very nice and resembles what I remember of very good recent vintages of Ridge Geyserville. Rating: 89.
Frog's Leap Merlot (Rutherford) 2006 ($34): I must issue a statement regarding my lack of preference for Merlot. Nonetheless, I am attempting to be objective regarding this review. The appearance is a wonderful dark plum offering with some fragmentation. The nose offers a touch of oak complemented with eucalyptus and green pepper. The flavor offering is a blended set of currant and black cherry with an oaky underlying flavor. The finish was rounded and pleasant with a faint smoky flavor. I enjoyed this merlot, although the price puts it far outside a range of contemplation for me. Rating: 86.
Frog's Leap Rutherford 2005 ($75): The Rutherford is Frog's Leap version of a Meritage-like blend of grapes (96% Cab. Sauv, 4% Cab. Franc). The appearance is very dark but still transparent. The nose offers vanilla with an earthy scent and a hint of green pepper. Significant depth on the nose suggests that the wine would age wonderfully for 5-10 years. The taste writhes of tobacco and dried cherry with a cedar flavor laced throughout. The finish was a nice silky mouthfeel with a light tannic touch. The nose of this wine is very distinct. I rate this wine very highly but the price is a deterrent. Rating: 87.
Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc (Rutherford) 2008 ($18): The Sauv. Blanc offers a very light olive oil appearance and served chilled. The nose provides fruits such as grapefruit and a touch of lime mixed with lemongrass. On the palate, the wine was slightly salty with very little depth. Strangely, the finish was instant and slightly bitter, offering stronger lime flavors. Overall, this was a simple wine with a bright nose but little complexity. The flavors, as is often the case, do not closely resemble the nose. Rating: 84.
Frog's Leap Zinfandel (Napa Valley) 2007 ($27): This wine was not 100% Zin, but offered in a blend of Zin (76%), Petite Sirah (19%) and Carignane (5%). The blended wine leads to a dark, lush velvety appearance with a faint leading edge. The nose provides smoky scents with hints of butter, spice and ground pepper with big, jammy fruit after aeration. The palate receives big fruit such as black cheery and a light oak-driven smoke flavor and beautiful velvety mouthfeel. This wine was very nice and resembles what I remember of very good recent vintages of Ridge Geyserville. Rating: 89.
Frog's Leap Merlot (Rutherford) 2006 ($34): I must issue a statement regarding my lack of preference for Merlot. Nonetheless, I am attempting to be objective regarding this review. The appearance is a wonderful dark plum offering with some fragmentation. The nose offers a touch of oak complemented with eucalyptus and green pepper. The flavor offering is a blended set of currant and black cherry with an oaky underlying flavor. The finish was rounded and pleasant with a faint smoky flavor. I enjoyed this merlot, although the price puts it far outside a range of contemplation for me. Rating: 86.
Frog's Leap Rutherford 2005 ($75): The Rutherford is Frog's Leap version of a Meritage-like blend of grapes (96% Cab. Sauv, 4% Cab. Franc). The appearance is very dark but still transparent. The nose offers vanilla with an earthy scent and a hint of green pepper. Significant depth on the nose suggests that the wine would age wonderfully for 5-10 years. The taste writhes of tobacco and dried cherry with a cedar flavor laced throughout. The finish was a nice silky mouthfeel with a light tannic touch. The nose of this wine is very distinct. I rate this wine very highly but the price is a deterrent. Rating: 87.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 2: 1990 Pio Cesare Barolo
After allowing the wine to decant overnight, I tried it again. Some sediment still exists in the wine lending a bit more texture. It's interesting to note the major changes in wine, not only with time but also with temperature. The wine was previously tasted around 65-68 degrees F. This temperature allowed the nose of the wine to be fully expressed. Today, the wine is a bit cooler. The initial scents from this wine are faint. Bright cherry and some medjool fig scents accompany a brown sugar smell.The wine continues to smell clean, with touches of slate and mint. Faint hints of cloves and nutmeg appear in this wine.
The overwhelmingly predominant flavor remains kalamata olives. The underlying texture is incredibly velvety and generously thick in nature.Very short aftertaste accompanies this wine rendering it suitable for consumption with well-balanced meals in terms of spice. This wine will pair well with pasta dishes with olive oil based sauces. Red sauces may overwhelm this wine and lead to awkward flavors with tomatoes. Pork dishes will also hold up nicely with this wine, perhaps inclusive of bbq pork.
The overwhelmingly predominant flavor remains kalamata olives. The underlying texture is incredibly velvety and generously thick in nature.Very short aftertaste accompanies this wine rendering it suitable for consumption with well-balanced meals in terms of spice. This wine will pair well with pasta dishes with olive oil based sauces. Red sauces may overwhelm this wine and lead to awkward flavors with tomatoes. Pork dishes will also hold up nicely with this wine, perhaps inclusive of bbq pork.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
1990 Pio Cesare Barolo Tasting
As a gift, I received a bottle of 1990 Pio Cesare Barolo. I'm a lover of Italian wines, yet they are so expensive that I rarely have an opportunity to taste a premier bottle. I cracked the bottle today and decanted, but needed to sneak a taste. The bottle had considerable sediment in the bottom of the bottle and as such I was sure to be careful while decanting. Here are my initial thoughts based on the tasting right after opening.
The wine opens with a nice bouquet of smoke and bright cherry. Displaying an earthy smell that gives an impression of a strong Cab seems low in alcohol, as would be expected with a wine of this age. Interestingly, I also get hints of hyacinth, lilac and asparagus with this wine at the early stage. I'm anxious to see what this wine is like after some time exposed to air. The velvety texture gives way to a wine that has almost a salty flavor like kalamata olives. The smoke directly complements this flavor and makes me think of a Mediterranean meal. The color of the wine is now a duller maroon color, almost fading to brown at the very edge. Otherwise, the wine appears somewhat transparent.
Overall, I'm incredibly excited to taste this wine after some time and with a dinner. I tasted this wine without food, so I'm certain it will change quite a bit.
The wine opens with a nice bouquet of smoke and bright cherry. Displaying an earthy smell that gives an impression of a strong Cab seems low in alcohol, as would be expected with a wine of this age. Interestingly, I also get hints of hyacinth, lilac and asparagus with this wine at the early stage. I'm anxious to see what this wine is like after some time exposed to air. The velvety texture gives way to a wine that has almost a salty flavor like kalamata olives. The smoke directly complements this flavor and makes me think of a Mediterranean meal. The color of the wine is now a duller maroon color, almost fading to brown at the very edge. Otherwise, the wine appears somewhat transparent.
Overall, I'm incredibly excited to taste this wine after some time and with a dinner. I tasted this wine without food, so I'm certain it will change quite a bit.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A California Syrah that Evokes the Rhone | James Molesworth | What We'
A California Syrah that Evokes the Rhône | James Molesworth | What We'
Shared via AddThis
This wine is great! I'm a member of Qupe, we get some pretty cool stuff, including some cellar dweller wines they've kept in the library. Check them out at: http://www.qupe.com/
Shared via AddThis
This wine is great! I'm a member of Qupe, we get some pretty cool stuff, including some cellar dweller wines they've kept in the library. Check them out at: http://www.qupe.com/
Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2007
I happened upon a cheap wine that I thought might be a nice addition to our dinner plans for the evening (which changed anyhow), the Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2007. The blend offers supple fruit, cinnamon tones, and a touch of smoke on the nose. This overly juicy wine is suitable for drinking with pasta dishes (as I found out tonight, see http://adnsplace.blogspot.com for my meal this evening) and may be good with meats such as pork and beef. With a velvety mouthfeel, this wine is certainly an easy drinking wine, one I would keep on hand for parties. Points: 84-86.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)