IN THE LAIR OF DIONYSUS.

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

Generosity is defined as unselfish giving, a readiness or liberality in sharing. This is what I experienced first hand when I was invited to the lair of Dionysus. Not just generous, but generous to the tenth power! Just dwell on this line-up of wines for a moment and you will begin to understand what I am saying…

1982 Krug Champagne
1986 Krug Clos Du Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Champagne
2002 Roederer Cristal Rose Champagne
1989 Haut-Brion Grand Cru
1982 Grand Vin De Chateau Latour
1947 Petrus
1997 Gaja Sperss Langhe
1998 Beaucastel Hommage A Jacques Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape
1967 Chateau d’Yquem

No, I am not kidding, those are the wines that were lined up for our tasting enjoyment by Dionysus himself. I have to say that I was at first stunned, then absolutely giddy to be part of such a feast of Bordeaux and more. I studiously brought my moleskin along to take notes knowing that my palate was in for a fantastic ride. Who was I kidding? I was so caught up in the whole moment that many of the times I simply wrote down the names on the labels.

When we first arrived, Dionysus had laid out the two bottles of Krug mentioned earlier, the ’89 Haut-Brion, ’97 Gaja Sperss and the ’98 Hommage A Jacques Perrin. I had been a recipient of the 2000 Haut-Brion about two months earlier and was very excited to see how the older version stood up to it’s famous sibling. I had tasted a Gaja Barbaresco years earlier and have never introduced my lips to a Beaucastel Hommage A Jacques Perrin. I think all you wine geeks out there can understand the energy that was running through my body as I prepared my palate for these gems.

We dove into the Champagne first and they were amazing, what else can I say? As Dionysus pointed out, Krug is the pillar of consistency with it’s coconut, bread dough and pineapple flavors backed by a core of apple. Fragrant on the nose and deliciously dry the 1982 Krug is a muscular Champagne that makes you pause and think with each sip that you take. It reminds me of a body builder that can perform ballet.

The 1986 Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blanc is of course made from 100% chardonnay grapes. Amazingly this Champagne reflected many of the same characteristics of it’s sibling although slightly drier on the palate. Complex with a finesse that made it dance across the palate with hits of citrus on the long finish… And I mean long! I have had a vintage Krug and the cuvee but it has been a long time ago. I had never tasted the Clos du Mesnil before and it is special. As we are drinking the bubbles and talking about the virtues of Champagne, and the pure consistency of Krug, Cristal came up in the conversation. Roederer Cristal is a highly marketed Champagne that gets way more attention then Krug in the general public. I have had Cristal a couple of times recently and I agree with Dionysus on the virtues of Krug over it’s famous cousin. However, this does not take away the fact the Cristal is delicious, and has an amazing bouquet. As we talked, I mentioned for no reason in particular (I wasn’t fishing) that I had never tasted the Cristal rose’.Guess.

Yes, from out of nowhere comes a 2002 Roederer Cristal Rose… Talk about sensory overload! Like the brut, the nose is amazing on this Champagne with notes of strawberries and cherries filling the olfactory senses. I think I could of stood there and smelled this wine all night. Actually I could of stood there and smelled all three of the offerings all night! Not as complex as either of the Krugs it was still a “10” in the delicious factor with the strawberry and cherry notes backed by hints of grapefruit filling the palate into a dry long finish. Not easy to get your hands on, I felt privileged to be drinking it. However, in the lair of Dionysus, nothing surprises me…. Maybe.

As we were talking amongst ourselves about the wonderful spread of food, including the oysters baked with a layer of fresh Parmesan that matched perfectly with the bubbles, I noticed Dionysus working on something. As I walked over his way I noticed a weathered bottle sitting in front of him. As I peered closer,I just about passed out when I saw what he was up to. In front of me was an open bottle of 1947 Petrus! Bordeaux lover’s know that Petrus is the D.R.C. of Bordeaux, the creme de le Creme. ’47 is an iconic vintage and there are very few Bordeaux left out there that can stretch their power for this long. Having never put my lips to any Petrus in my lifetime you can only imagine the thoughts that were going through my mind.

Dionysus and I each poured ourselves a glass of the ’47 Petrus. The bottle was ugly with sediment all over the neck and shoulder inside the bottle. As I smelled this sixty-four year old Bordeaux I was simply amazed at the wonderful aromas of cinnamon, leather, forest floor and dusty cherries. Dionysus agreed that the nose was amazing but cautioned that many times this can be deceiving with an older wine. We must taste. As I was getting ready to imbibe of this sweet liquid I heard an odd noise and noticed Dionysus heading to the back patio. He told me I had to give it a try. Phenomenal, ridunkulous, and incredible! Is it true that such and old wine can still express such sublime characteristics on the palate. Yes. Elegant and silky yet powerful. Notes of leather, cherry, nutmeg, and warm spices with an underlying earthiness. The flow across the palate was seamless and the finish was silky and persistent. Did it taste old? How would I know since it was such an amazing wine and I have never tasted a younger version of Petrus. I could not score the Champagne we drank since my notes were limited. However, I have no problem giving this ’47 Petrus a perfect 100 points. Beautifully built,I found no flaws in this wine. Robert Parker Jr. scored this wine 100 points on two different occasions. I do not always agree with his scores but on this one I concur. If this was the only wine Dionysus had shared with me I would have felt as deeply indebted as I do now.

I was eager now to try the ’89 Haut-Brion and again was amazed at the complexity and freshness of this wine even at this old age. In many ways, this was a toned down version of the 2000 vintage. Beautiful in it’s seamless flow across the palate, showing notes of tobacco, spice, cassis and red currants. Still showing some acidity on the mid-palate with some forest floor notes hitting on the finish. Dionysus and I agreed that this wine had another 5-8 years left in it. Although I disagree with the ridiculously high prices put on these wines, I now understand the fascination with Bordeaux and the amazing wine making skills passed on from generation to generation. They certainly demand a higher price then anything I have tasted from California or Washington. I only wish that they were more accessible to folks like myself.

Beef tenderloin was waiting for us at the table and Dionysus suggested that we should taste the rest of the reds to see what we would want to accompany the meal. Having already tasted the ’47 Petrus and the ’89 Haut-Brion I gave the ’97 Gaja Sperss a try and knew immediately that it needed more time to breath. It was restrained somewhat on the palate showing hits of blueberries and tobacco. I will come back to this one later. One taste of the ’98 Beaucastel Hommage A Jacques Perrin Chateauneuf-Du-Pape and I knew what I was going to drink with dinner. On the nose this wine was quite gamey backed by aromas of leather, spice, mud puddle and rusty iron. On the palate the wine was muscular with notes of old leather, sweet blackberries and black currants. The flavors penetrated the palate across the mid-palate with a core of balanced acidity that drove the flavors back by notes of forest floor, spice and black pepper. The finish on this lasted over a couple of minutes. Yes, I took notes on this baby and it was perfect with the beef. 97+ points.

As we ate a wonderfully prepared meal, and drank the wines that Dionysus had so generously opened, dessert came our way. Again Dionysus disappeared only to reappear with another gem to accompany the peach and cream tart. Unbelievable, a 1967 Chateau d’YQuem. I know it’s hard to read this without saying…”Stan, you are one lucky #@st*$.” I will not argue with you on that one, I know how lucky I was to be tasting all these wines. The d’YQuem lived up to all the expectations. The bouquet was fresh and clean with wonderful aromas of golden raisins and mandarin oranges. On the palate this wine had both intensity and finesse at the same time. Notes of golden currants, caramel, butterscotch and dried papaya penetrated the palate. The amazing thing is how this beautiful sauternes finished up with notes of earl grey tea and bright citrus notes on a clean finish. I wished I had saved an oyster to go with this wine because that would have been an excellent match. 99 points

This night is seared in my memory right up there with the loss of my virginity and the birth of my first child. (These two events are not connected by the way). Not only did Dionysus share these wines with us, he told us to take home whatever was left. Seriously? Yes he did. Bob and I amiacably agreed on who should take what and one of the bottles I took home was the Gaja Sperss since I wanted to see how it would open up. I went home that night in la la land and slept peacefully with visions of old Bordeaux dancing in my head. Thank you Dionysus… From the bottom of my wine glass. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

P.S. Having allowed the ’97 Gaja Sperss to sit overnight I have just a few notes on what I tasted…
1997 Gaya Sperss Langhe (Nebbiolo)
Aromas of sweaty leather, game, mushroom and tobacco with whiffs on mint on the backside. Black currants, leather, tobacco and dried beef notes are bold on the front and mid-palate. Wonderful balance with a seemingly endless finish marked by some tannic grip. This is a youthful wine that took some time to open up. When it finally did, Wow! Give this wine another eight to ten years and you are in for a real treat. 98+ points.

Posted in Happenings and Whatever. | 7 Comments

IT’S ABOUT THE DIRT… ISN’T IT?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

The French term “Terroir” seems to be one of the most hotly debated terms amongst wine writers and wine makers that I have seen in recent memory. For example, I conducted a wine tasting event featuring an iconic wine maker from Washington State. The term terroir came up and basically he declared it a lot of nonsense, saying that where the grapes are planted have no bearing on the wine itself. One might agree with him based on his credentials alone. However, I disagreed bringing up the whites of Chablis and their obvious minerality due to the fossilized seashells in the soil from which the vines grow. I stumped him for a minute, but he recovered and held his ground. This illustrates the differing opinions on a very simple word.

In a nutshell, terroir is French for soil or as we would say, dirt. We have a word that is very close to this, territory. We call the dirt we own or land our territory. Basically what that simple French word is telling us is that the dirt the vines grow in shapes the flavor of the grapes that eventually make up the wine that is bottled and sold. In a blind tasting of chardonnay, it is not hard to pick out a wine from Chablis with it’s intense, chalky, seashell minerality that comes from the dirt that the vines are planted in. The vines suck the nutrients from the dirt, and feed those nutrients to the grapes and the grapes in turn pass on the flavors to the consumer. It is really that simple. However, as with any subject there are debaters. Heaven forbid we keep it simple, why not complicate it, mystify it and make it something that only the wine experts can understand and explain.

The first layer of complexity began when “Terroir” came to include not just the dirt, but everything that influences the dirt such as exposure, climate, amount of precipitation, subsoil, slope, drainage, elevation and temperature. Great! Now you have to be a chemist or geologist to understand the word terroir. To make it even more complicated, some have even added the human element to the word, suggesting that the style of the wine maker influences the understanding of terroir. Another words, if a wine maker uses heavy amounts of oak, or limits yields on the vines etcetera, etcetera, this will shape the interpretation of the terroir for that wine. So the once simple term dirt, has taken on a new meaning that has inspired article after article on the subject.

One article that prompted me to make this a matter of discussion on my blog was written by a respected wine critic for the magazine Wine Spectator, James Laube. I have the highest regard for Mr. Laube, finding his articles well written and thoughtful. I also enjoy his wine reviews and agree for the most part with his wine assessments. However, his recent article on terroir bordered on ridiculous when it comes to complicating this very simple term. The only statement that had clarity was about a third of the way through the article where he, speaking of the Burgundians writes…”They too have terroir in so far as certain vineyards or appellations where grapes are grown impart a unique quality that is specific to that site or region.” Really James? He writes an entire article on terroir convoluting the term so badly I even begin to doubt my knowledge on the subject only to capsulize the real meaning of the word in the quote above. Yes, it’s the dirt that matters.

The k.i.s.s. method (This stands for, keep it simple stupid) is one of the hardest things for wine writers to do. We want to mystify and complicate some of the most basic concepts. Perhaps it is a way to lift ourselves up above the rest, or maybe it is the only way we can fill a three-thousand word assignment. Who knows. That is not to say there are not some complex subjects on wine. I think it would be safe to say that one could write volumes on what makes certain dirt the way it is. As a wine geek I find it fascinating to examine the elements that affect the conditions of the soil where a vineyard is. That does not however change the fact that it is simply the dirt from which the vines grow that gives the wine the unique characteristics that we may like or disdain. Let’s illustrate it this way. You are working out at the fitness center with a friend when a muscled individual walks in the door. You both observe him and one says to the other, “That guy lifts a lot of weights”! You both agree on this assessment and get back to your work-out. You do not get into a big discussion on genetics and work-out methods because the simple fact is to get a body like that, one must lift weights.

Graves (Haut-Brion), Pomerol (Petrus), Haut-Medoc (Lafite-Rothschild), Cote-d’Or (DRC), Chablis (Favre), Red Mountain (Cadence), Walla Walla (PepperBridge), Napa Valley (Harlan), and the list goes on and on of wines that reflect the soil from which they came. We might find ourselves saying that we like Red Mountain reds from Washington State, or we prefer Willamette Valley pinot noir over pinot from Burgundy. It could be that we prefer chardonnay out of Napa Valley over the mineral driven bracing chardonnay of Chablis. Why? Because we like the territory the wine is grown in, the terroir, the dirt! A wine maker from Napa may attempt to make a chardonnay in the style of Chablis, but without the soil to grow the grapes in their attempt will fall short. One of the most telling examples is sauvignon blanc. New Zealand pumps out some terrific sauvignon blanc there is no doubt about it. The Loire Valley in France is responsible for some of the greatest sauvignon blanc ever produced. Can California or Washington produce the same type of sauvignon blanc? I have only tasted one that came even close. Why is that? Terroir, plain and simple…. It’s the dirt.

I am one hundred percent sure that some will read this article and think me an idiot for simplifying such a complex issue. Don’t let them fool you. The French have long understood the word for dirt and they live by it, to the extent of even regulating which grapes can be grown in certain dirt. They realize that certain varieties respond to certain nutrients in the earth in a classic way and as a result we get outstanding wines. You may not like French wines and that is just fine. But if you want to understand terroir better, consume a Bordeaux, Chablis, Sancerrre or a pinot noir from Burgundy and you will begin to understand how dirt can effect the juice in the bottle.

Yes, I understand that many elements over time have a lot to do with the type of dirt in certain areas of the world. I also know that a wine maker can mask the elements of the dirt that the grapes can reflect through certain methods in the wine making process. This is well and good, but it does not change the meaning of the word terroir. Let’s break it down one more time… The French word terroir means soil, the soil (dirt) affects the grape, which in turn affects the flavor of the wine. Simply put, it’s about the dirt. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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A CHARDONNAY A DAY… PART II

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

This is certainly a tougher assignment I have given myself then I thought it would be. I know, I know, how tough can it be tasting wine? This is true, and I am not complaining. It’s just that 61 different kinds of any wine is hard to fit in a month when I am tasting all the other wines that sales folk offer me to try. All I can say is I will give it my best shot and hope that I hit the number.

This time around I tasted chard from Washington, California and France, and found a lot of diversity in styles. I tasted chardonnay that is perfect for sipping on the porch on a summers evening, chardonnay that will match up nicely with crab or lobster, and chardonnay for pork or chicken. I also came across some chardonnay that I would not recommend to anyone. Let’s see how round two went.

2010 Cline Cellars Cool Climate Chardonnay California … 12.99

The nose on this chard was quite closed with just little hits of melon and pineapple. On the palate this chardonnay is rather one-dimensional it just kind of filled my mouth with round butter notes lacking acidity to drive any flavors. Nothing bad, just kind of blah. For the price I think you can do a lot better. 84 points

2009 Hayes Ranch “Best Foot Forward” Chardonnay Livermore, California … 7.99

Here is an example of doing better for less money! Nice bouquet of butterscotch and red delicious apple. Nice and round on the palate without going over-the-top showing notes of Pear, butterscotch, lemon and apple notes. Good flow across the palate with balanced acidity and good length on the finish. Not super complex, but very well made. 88+ points

2009 Renwood “Red Label” Chardonnay California … 7.99

Clean and creamy on the nose, nothing distinct jumps out. The palate shows creamy apple notes. The wine wants to go buttery but does not quite get there as it finishes clean and crisp. This would not be a bad chard to match up with shellfish. 86+ points

2009 Lockwood Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Grown Monterey, California … 9.99

Aromas of dusty apples, cinnamon roll and hits of peach pit. (I found this nose to be quite interesting) Notes of apple skins, peach and lemon come through on a bright mouth-feel that remains throughout. Almost a steely element to this chard that leads to a clean fresh finish. Nicely balanced, this is another one you could match with shellfish. 90 points

2009 JM Cellars Chardonnay Columbia Valley, Washington … 33.99

Interesting bouquet of butterscotch and pears. Creamy on the front and mid-palate with notes of apple and pear with hits of yeast on the mid-palate. Oak comes through on the finish and is a little over-bearing making the finish a little disjointed. 88 points

2008 Hess Selection Su’Skol Chardonnay Napa Valley, California … 19.99

This chard had an interesting nose of burnt match with a large dose of tropical fruit. Creamy on the palate with notes of grilled pineapple and apple skins backed by balanced acidity. There is an interesting rubber boot component underlying the fruit which is something I like in a chard or riesling. Good finish with a steely edge to it and a touch of toast. This reminds me a bit of a white Burgundy with a huge new world kiss. Well made. 92 points

2009 J Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay Arroyo Seco California … 11.99

The bouquet on this one was just a little challenged with hits of apple, sulfur and petrol. Creamy tropical fruit notes on the palate with underlying oak. I found the mid-palate to be just a little awkward with the acidity jumping around the oak a bit. The finish wrapped up nicely with toasty notes of pineapple and butterscotch. This bad boy really does better drank with a meal such as roasted chicken, crab or lobster.
89 points

2008 O Wines Chardonnay Columbia Valley, Washington … 13.99

A bouquet of pineapple, apple and hits of oak. Bright on the front of the palate with notes of Red Delicious apple. The mid-palate shows notes of apple and pineapple backed by an interesting minerality that flows into a crisp, fresh finish where the pineapple notes dominate on a nice long finish. Wouldn’t you figure that this Washington State chardonnay would be an excellent compliment with oysters, clams or mussels.
89+ points

2008 Domaine Matrot Borgogne Chardonnay Cote-d’Or, France (Burgundy) … 17.99

Going now to France where some of the most expensive chardonnay in the world come from I tasted one of my personal favorites in the affordable wines category. Showing it’s “Old World” personality this chard had elements of burnt match and apple on the nose. Loads of minerals on the palate backed by notes of green apple and peach pit that linger for some time on the palate. This is a great chardonnay to educate your palate on what the old world is all about. 89+ points

2008 Gordon Brothers Chardonnay Columbia Valley, Washington … 9.99

A little burnt buttered popcorn action on the nose with hits of butterscotch. On the palate the butterscotch comes through all day backed by some nice mineral and apple notes. Citrus on the finish with is nice and clean. Yet another Washington chardonnay that would match up nicely with shellfish. Go figure! 89 points

2009 Big House Unchained Naked Chardonnay … 7.49

Aromas of sweet apples,pears and a hint of lemon. Creamy notes of apples and peach on the front side which carry into the mid-palate. The wine gets a little funky on the finish with and unpleasant burnt applesauce element and something that reminded me of barbecued peaches. 82 points

2010 Blacksmith Chardonnay Colombia Valley, Washington … 14.99

Aromas of pear, apple and a hint of warm spice. Loads of pear on the palate with hits of apple skin. Creamy on the mid-palate with hits of citrus and pear that flow into a medium length finish. Good balance of acidity and fruit on this lighter style chardonnay. 88+ points

2008 Ryan Patrick Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay Columbia Valley, Washington … 11.99

Nice nose of fig and dusty apples. Creamy notes of pineapple and green apple skins on the front of the palate. The mid-palate shows a little papaya that leads into fig and toast. Good length on the finish. Nice balance of fruit and oak on this wine. This price is the lowest I have ever seen for this well made chardonnay and it will probably go back to the fifteen dollar mark this fall. Take advantage! 88+ points

2008 Liberty School Chardonnay Central Coast, California … 11.99

Nice bouquet of apple, caramel and butter. Creamy on front of palate with notes of butterscotch and pear. Mid-palate shows fig and butter leading into green pear and butter notes on a clean medium to long finish. Oak is not overdone on this chard and it shows nice balance. 90 points (Right now this chardonnay is priced at 9.99 in some stores in Washington State. That is a killer deal!)

2009 St. Francis Winery Chardonnay Sonoma County, California … 14.99

Very light in color, pale straw. Subdued notes of mango, pear and hits of butter on the nose. This chardonnay was a little disjointed on the palate. The oak seemed to jump in and out on creamy notes of pear and fig. A little citrus hit on the back end but the oak dominates on the finish. If you are a big fan of oak, you might like this although it does not have a nice flow across the palate. 85 points

2009 Cos Du Bois Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay Russian River Valley, California … 14.99

This is the kind of nose that I personally like in a chardonnay. Notes of lemon, pear and butter with hits of ginger. On the palate this chardonnay shows the California sunshine. Fat notes of pear and mango that flow nicely over the palate with hits of pineapple on the backside. Good balance of acid and fruit with a finish that is fresher then I expected. Well done. 91 points

2007 Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard Alexander Valley, California … 25.99

Darker gold in color showing it’s age. A bouquet of toasty butter and pears. I was surprised to find this chardonnay a little closed on the front side with notes of butterscotch and pear. It opened on the creamy mid-palate intensifying on a finish of pineapple, butterscotch and hits of pear and toast. Just a touch of heat on the long finish. 89 points

2008 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay Arroyo Seco, California … 19.99

This is the big brother to the Riverstone Chardonnay and it shows. Aromas of grilled pineapple, apples and butterscotch. Sweet butterscotch notes on the front of the palate with a large dose of oak. This chardonnay has some weight to it on the mid-palate but flows into a cleaner finish of pear, butterscotch and hits of pineapple. Good balance and a long finish. If you like oak on your chard this one should fit the bill with enough fruit and acidity to keep it from being an oak monster. 91 points

Twenty-nine down, thirty-two to go. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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ROCKING THE PALATE ONCE AGAIN…

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Stan The Wine Man

All wine geeks out there can understand my excitement when Dionysus comes calling. My humble cellar (Which I’m proud of by the way) would never produce from it’s shadows such gems as were offered up on Bob’s kitchen counter just the other night. In all my years as a wine dude I have come to appreciate that one does not have to spend a boatload of money to have nice wines that you can drink now or put away for a few years. However, I also have learned that there are great wines out there that demand a higher price and for those with the discretionary income to purchase them, they are certainly worth it.

Fred Franzia has been quoted as saying that if you spend more then eight bucks on a wine, you have spent too much, or something to that effect. Really? I’ll be the first one to tell you that there are a lot of gems out there under twenty bucks. But I have no qualms about spending more if I know I am in for an experience. Of course Mr. Franzia made the above comment,that is his market. He makes his living off of selling cheap wine… Some good, some not so good. His comment is self-serving.

Bob and I had the opportunity to test Mr. Franzia’s statement with wines that were shared by the ever generous Dionysus. None of the wines we tried were under twenty bucks, in fact I believe none were under a hundred dollars. Price should never be the dictate for judging a wine. Trying to be as objective as possible I did my best to rate each wine by the wine itself, not by label or price. In all fairness, the wines I am about to review had been opened for a couple of days. This makes a difference in the flavor profile so keep that in mind. They say that the average consumer drinks a bottle of wine within a couple of hours of purchase, and most do not decant. Pop and pour is the name of the game. Most of my reviews are based on this method although I decant the more structured reds before I review them, such as a Bordeaux or Barolo. In general I believe a review should be based on what the consumer will experience when they drink the wine. The wines I am about to review all fall in the decanting category. One would be missing out on a lot of the nuances of the wine if they simply “Popped and Poured”.

2005 Sine Qua Non The Naked Truth Estate Grenache (Eleven Confessions Vineyard) Santa Barbara County California
I have wanted to try a wine from this producer ever since I read the Wine Spectator article on Manfred Krankl, wine maker an owner (along with wife Elaine) of Sine Qua Non Winery. A cult winery that has a waiting list to get on the waiting list to purchase their wines. Big and bold, the wines express the passion of the wine maker in his quest to produce some of the best wine in the New World. Grenache is one of Manfred’s favorite grapes so I was very eager to give it a try.

A bouquet of ripe raspberries, black licorice and red currants. On the palate this wine is intense, silky and spicy with dark fruit notes penetrating the palate backed by notes of black tea and tobacco. The wine intensifies (hard to believe) on the mid-palate with exotic spices all over the wine. The finish shows off some red currant notes backed by hints of tobacco leaf. This wine is 15.8% alcohol and it shows a little on the finish and nose. The wine has incredible balance for as big a it is. I had a little left in the bottle which Bob let me take home and I asked my wife to give it a try. When she put her nose in the glass the intensity of the wine made her cough. She let our Chihuahua take a sniff and it even made the dog cough. It was so funny! Great wine, just a little hot for my palate. 94 points

1999 Tenuta dell`Ornellaia Masseto Tuscany, Italy

winemaker’s notes:

The great 1999 vintage at Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia produced one of the most extraordinary vintage Masseto ever made. The wine is rich with profound depth. The aromas, which continue to evolve, remind us of the complexity of the grapes at harvest. The tannins are exceptionally rich and literally fill the palate indicating a magnificent aging potential. 100% Merlot.

The experience I had with this wine was very interesting. As Bob and I tasted it, we noticed a huge dose of earth and mushroom aromas on the nose. The palate had notes of spice,forest floor, black cherry red currants and a little old leather on the finish. I was impressed but not sure of what I was drinking since I had not drunk a Masseto in recent memory. Bob also let me take this bottle home and I tried it again later in the evening. Something seemed off, and then I realized the wine was corked. This tells me that this wine is superb if it takes a couple of tries to discover it was slightly off. Too bad, because I am quite sure a good bottle would be mind-blowing since a corked bottle was not too shabby. No score

1997 Fisher Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County, California

Aromas of black currants, kirsch, black licorice and blackberry with a little alcohol hit. Deep dark fruits on the palate backed by silky tannins, spice, leather and tobacco. The wine had a nice minerality on a long finish. The finish was slightly awkward as the alcohol fought with the fruit flavors just a little which was interesting since the label showed only 14%. 90 points

2001 Peter Michael Les Pavots Knights Valley, Sonoma County California

Aromas of sweet blackberries and red currants with just a slight hit of alcohol. Rich and silky with notes of black currant, leather, spice and white pepper. Wonderful balance with a seamless flow across the palate showing layered notes of chocolate and mocha on the mid-palate leading into hits of anise on a seemingly endless finish. This is a “New World” wine with a lot of “Old World” style to it. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot 98 points

2006 Harlan Estate The Maiden Napa Valley Red Blend

The last Harlan Estate wine I tried courtesy of the “Great Dionysus” scored a perfect 100 points in my notes. I believe it was the first time I felt I had tried a flawless wine for my palate. Remember that scores by wine writers are only palate scores. A wine that I score 100 may be a wine that you do not find to be quite as good. Needless to say, I approached this wine with eager anticipation.
This baby is bright on the nose with notes of licorice, brown sugar, black currants and herbal notes. Soft and plush on the palate which I did not expect since the nose seemed to indicate a lot of acidity. Notes of boysenberry, black currant and spice. Tar notes show up on the back of the mid-palate with some leather hits on a medium to long finish. Although plush this wine shows good intensity and structure. 94 points

2005 Bryant Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley California

I have known about Bryant Family Vineyards for a long time but this is the first time I have ever had opportunity to try it, and I am impressed. A bouquet of cherries, black tea, red currants and underlying minerals. The minerality comes through on the palate with notes of iron, plum and hints of eucalyptus. Nice and velvety (Hope that’s a word) on the mid-palate with underlying notes of leather and black currants leading into a finish that has a slight tannic grip with hints of cigar box. This wine has a lot of finesse and will certainly age nicely over the next ten years. 93 points

As the guy who is endeavoring to “Take The Snob Out Of Wine”, I vow to continue my search for the best values on the market. As a wine geek, I would never pass up an opportunity to taste the wines I have reviewed above, I hope you feel the same.

“Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by the gods to man.” — Plato

Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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