Spent two days in Walla Walla with friends drinking vino and stuffing our faces. Is a new winery sprouting up every day over there? They are everywhere and most I've never even heard of! My second observation was that there is a great deal of quality cab being made in Walla Walla. Kind of a cab renaissance happening. We didn't get there until 3pm so Day 1 has just 3 wineries and dinner.
Reynvaan Family Vineyards -- I had heard some scuttlebutt about this new winery here, on this board, and wanted to try the wines before plunking down the cash for some. They had just bottled their first vintage in May (two syrahs) made from their "In the Rocks" Vineyard (planted in 2004) which is littered with stones--remind you of a certain Walla Walla winery? Suffice it to say, the wines "rocked!" If you get a chance, take a look at their website and seriously consider ordering as they didn't make much and it's already almost sold out.
2007 Reynvaan In the Rocks Syrah -- Knockout nose of violets, dark blue fruit, pineapple and meat. Thick without being heavy in the mouth giving way to ripe dark fruit, spice, and some savory elements. Very floral on the finish (co-fermented with viognier). This is quality winemaking. 92pts.
2007 Reynvaan The Contender Syrah -- A contender it is! Nose was a bit muted but coaxed out some blackberries, dark cherry, and even a bit of bacon. The mouthfeel was pure elegance (co-fermented w/ marsanne). A heft again without the weight revealing a lushness I haven't had in such a young wine. Concentrated ripe fruit, stones, smoked pork. This was fantastic. Dale even remarked to our friend, Randy, that is was going to be all downhill from there! 94pts.
Next stop was Chateau Rollat. Their downtown tasting room was under construction so it had a nice rustic feel!
2008 Chateau Rollat Rose -- Tasty. Dry with some spicy strawberries although a bit tart. 87 pts
2005 Chateau Rollat Cabernet -- Wow, this was good. Densely packed fruit with herbs and eucalyptus. Nice balance of oak, tannin, ripe fruit, and acid. We were all nodding our heads to this one. 92pts
2005 Chateau Rollat Cabernet Edouard -- You could tell this was a more serious wine but just seemed a bit disjointed at the moment. A little more structure with more restrained fruit. Built for the long haul. 90pts +
We had an early dinner reservation so we had a brief stop at Nicholas Cole. Dale immediately broke his bottle of Rollat Cab on one of their "A Clockwork Orange" chairs so he headed back to Rollat to see if they would replace it. The punk kid pouring wine at NC said he wouldn't so we were excited at the possibility of great customer service at NC. The kid pouring was arrogant and frustrated at us for not hanging on his every word. Not a pleasant experience which was heightened by the fact that the wines weren't all that good, either. I didn't take any notes as they pissed me off but I do remember that their best wine was the GraEagle, their red table wine. Everything else was expensive and pedestrian.
On to dinner at Creektown Cafe where we had a good meal and some fantastic wines --Rulo Viognier, 2007 Mon Aieul, and 2006 Saxum Heartstone.
2007 Rulo Viognier -- From the frist whiff you could tell this didn't see any oak. Nose of apples, unripe pears, citrus. Nice mouthpuckering acidity balanced with that creaminess you can get from viognier. Great white for the price as most Rulo wines are. 89pts.
2007 Usseglio Mon Aieul -- I have been anticipating this wine for a couple of years now. I can't imagine it could ever have lived up to expectations. It wasn't as accessible as the 2006 out of the gate but has tons more potential. A little darker than I expected with a nose of cherry liqueur, black currants, spice, and garrigue. Never hot but just jam-packed with ripe fruit, glycerine, and tons of chocolate. This wine is just so big but never close to approaching over the top with its sweetness and structure. If you're lucky enough to own multiple bottles, drink one now for the experience, but let the rest sleep for awhile as this is going to only get better. 95+++++pts.
2006 Saxum Heartstone -- My first Heartstone and color me impressed. Dark as the Dark Knight, this puppy certainly held its own after the MA. Nice ripe fruit from the grenache, weight and sweetness from the syrah, and all things rustic from the mourvedre. While it doesn't have the depth of a Bone Rock or the playfulness of the Broken Stones, it does possess a little of each quality. Loaded with ripe blue fruit, no evidence of overt tannin. Just a seamless, balanced (I know), concentrated wine. I was worried it needed a decant, but it was ready to roll from the get go. Looking forward to trying the 07! 94pts.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
TN's: 98 Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon and 2005 Long Shadows Pedestal
1998 Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon
Damn, champagne is the shiznit. After our Champagne Offline a few weeks ago, I seriously was jonesing for more vintage champagne but that's like Billy Bob jonesing for Angelina again...not gonna happen, buddy. Luckily, my brother-in-law turned 40 on July 4th and he just happened to have a bottle of 98 Dom! Gorgeous pale yellow color and it just looked light on its feet. Toast, honey, butter, and custard on the nose which precedes the vibrant crisp apples on the palate accented by citrus and pear. This baby is lively and even a bit earthy. If you've got one, pop it. Why wait? 93pts.
2005 Long Shadows Pedestal
Decanted for around an hour. I decided to put aside my irreverence for New World merlot so I could enjoy my brother-in-law's 40th birthday. This wine certainly didn't change my mind. While it was well-made in that international style, it just didn't possess any remarkable components to make it stand out in a crowd. Dark blue with ruby edges, it initially had aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, some spice, and vanilla cream oak. The ripe fruit was immediately evident in the mouth but quickly vanished and gave way to a hollow mid-palate followed by oak and a hefty tannic bite. I'm fairly oak-tolerant but this was weaving back and forth between the imaginary line that we winos draw in the sand for oak allowance. All in all, an okay wine for $25 but not in the cards for $50. 89pts.
Damn, champagne is the shiznit. After our Champagne Offline a few weeks ago, I seriously was jonesing for more vintage champagne but that's like Billy Bob jonesing for Angelina again...not gonna happen, buddy. Luckily, my brother-in-law turned 40 on July 4th and he just happened to have a bottle of 98 Dom! Gorgeous pale yellow color and it just looked light on its feet. Toast, honey, butter, and custard on the nose which precedes the vibrant crisp apples on the palate accented by citrus and pear. This baby is lively and even a bit earthy. If you've got one, pop it. Why wait? 93pts.
2005 Long Shadows Pedestal
Decanted for around an hour. I decided to put aside my irreverence for New World merlot so I could enjoy my brother-in-law's 40th birthday. This wine certainly didn't change my mind. While it was well-made in that international style, it just didn't possess any remarkable components to make it stand out in a crowd. Dark blue with ruby edges, it initially had aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, some spice, and vanilla cream oak. The ripe fruit was immediately evident in the mouth but quickly vanished and gave way to a hollow mid-palate followed by oak and a hefty tannic bite. I'm fairly oak-tolerant but this was weaving back and forth between the imaginary line that we winos draw in the sand for oak allowance. All in all, an okay wine for $25 but not in the cards for $50. 89pts.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
TN's: 2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen GG Trocken and 2006 Cayuse Impulsivo
Had a terrific Friday lunch with Travis Allen at Mediterranean Kitchen in Bellevue. Some seriously good Greek and Lebanese food. Not bad wines either...
2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling GG Trocken
OMFG. That is all I could say after my first smell of this goldilocked beauty. Sit in my chair, eat my porridge, and sleep in my bed anytime you little vixen. Gorgeous bright straw yellow color that when swirled made you dream of that blonde 20 year old Swede you saw in Nice when you were 18. Immediate aromas of stones, white peaches, Japanese pears, and starfruit syrup keep you bottled up in that dream. Once it hits your lips, concentrated quince, citrus, and minerality pummel your taste buds into submission. The interplay between restrained sweetness and mouth shocking dryness bob and weave over your tongue as deftly as the Champ himself, Muhammad Ali. Layer upon layer of riesling complexity, density, and lusciousness made me furious for only buying 2 bottles of this Teutonic beauty. 94pts.
2006 Cayuse Impulsivo
Popped the cork and set aside for about 45 minutes while we drank the Donnhoff. The color out of the bottle was a deep, dark blue accented by blood red edges. Your nose is immediately blasted with the blackest of black cherries, crushed blackberries, olive, woodsmoke, sandalwood, and some sort of rare grilled game meat. The savory qualitites are all Cayuse trademarks and when paired with the ripe fruit, your nose becomes the Valhalla of convergence zones. The palate mirrors the nose as superconcentrated dark fruit fills your mouth eventually yielding to the carnal pleasures of blackened lamb, blood, and a distinctly saline minerality. An impressively heavy finish with Manute Bol like length had my tongue scouring the inside of my mouth for the next hour. 95 pts.
2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling GG Trocken
OMFG. That is all I could say after my first smell of this goldilocked beauty. Sit in my chair, eat my porridge, and sleep in my bed anytime you little vixen. Gorgeous bright straw yellow color that when swirled made you dream of that blonde 20 year old Swede you saw in Nice when you were 18. Immediate aromas of stones, white peaches, Japanese pears, and starfruit syrup keep you bottled up in that dream. Once it hits your lips, concentrated quince, citrus, and minerality pummel your taste buds into submission. The interplay between restrained sweetness and mouth shocking dryness bob and weave over your tongue as deftly as the Champ himself, Muhammad Ali. Layer upon layer of riesling complexity, density, and lusciousness made me furious for only buying 2 bottles of this Teutonic beauty. 94pts.
2006 Cayuse Impulsivo
Popped the cork and set aside for about 45 minutes while we drank the Donnhoff. The color out of the bottle was a deep, dark blue accented by blood red edges. Your nose is immediately blasted with the blackest of black cherries, crushed blackberries, olive, woodsmoke, sandalwood, and some sort of rare grilled game meat. The savory qualitites are all Cayuse trademarks and when paired with the ripe fruit, your nose becomes the Valhalla of convergence zones. The palate mirrors the nose as superconcentrated dark fruit fills your mouth eventually yielding to the carnal pleasures of blackened lamb, blood, and a distinctly saline minerality. An impressively heavy finish with Manute Bol like length had my tongue scouring the inside of my mouth for the next hour. 95 pts.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Cayuse dinner from November 2008...
Why should I deprive you of notes and events I wrote and attended before starting this blog? I agree, it would be criminal if I did so here are the notes from a dinner that Trey Busch and I put together for all of the Cayuse freaks out there. I don't need to go into detail about my obsession with Cayuse but let's just say that Cayuse is to me as Mary Jane is to Cheech and Chong...
Cayuse Dinner at Wild Ginger, November 2008
First, I'd like to thank Ole, Shane, and the crew at Wild Ginger. They took care of us with class and consideration--which can be hard to do with the motley crew we had there. If any of you are thinking of putting together a wine event or just want a fun place to eat, the Ginger is the place to go. Second, thanks to Trey for helping me put this damn good time together. Couldn't have got it done without the "Magician!" Thirdly, I'd like to thank Christophe for making the kick ass wines we threw down. Lastly, I'd like to thank every person that took time away from their family or the TV to sit down and drink some wine!
I don't need to go into detail about how we were taken aback at the generousity of Christophe, Trevor, and the Cayuse gang for contributing mags of every vintage of the Frog and a mag of the NB since a couple people have already described it. Did I mention that Christophe brought a mag of each Frog and NB?!! As with Trey, James, and anyone else who took notes, as the night went on the notes became shorter and shorter. Here are my notes and thoughts for the evening--to the best of my drunk-ass ability!
99 Dom -- Biscuit-y, citrus, honey, yeast-y. Decades left for this champagne. I'm afraid Dr. Jay would give it a drinking window out to 2115. 95 pts.
04 viognier -- I have not been a fan of Cayuse's viognier (or viognier at all for that matter) but after drinking the 04 I think it just needs time to mellow out in the bottle. Nose of banana cream pie, apples, touch of vanilla. Coating mouthfeel with hints of acid. 90 pts.
99 Walla Walla Valley Syrah -- Last vintage before completely estate fruit. Nice smokiness with fresh fruit and a little pepper. Doesn't seem to be losing anything. 90pts.
05 God Only Knows Grenache -- the first vintage of this wine and what a kickin' wine it was. Mary Jane, stinky cheese, strawberries, and cherries on the nose. So delicate in the mouth but also possessing a presence. Very feminine and silky. Angelina Jolie comes to mind. 95pts.
01 Cailloux -- 2nd vintage from this vineyard. Australian in style as it still has tons of upfront fruit and a little oak. Dense and dark. Still going strong. Tasty. 91pts.
04 Cailloux -- Deep purple. Nose of minerals, pepper, flowers, smoke. Fresh fruit and spices in the mouth. Damn good. 93pts.
05 Cailloux -- A Knockout. Christophe said co-fermented with 2-3% viognier. Floral on the nose with dark fruits. Blackberries, black raspberries, great mouthfeel. 94pts.
05 Cailloux Wallah Wallah Neutral Barrel -- Most people's WOTN and tied for WOTN for me with the 01 BF. So funky that I think it must have been the dedicated drink for the ABA. Herby, stinky, silky, creamy. Also co-fermented with a bit more viognier that gave it a melon-y, pineappleness that was damn intruiging. Hope this gets released at some point. 97pts.
02 En Chamberlin -- Didn't have any notes written for this wine and I think it got lost in the shuffle for me.
03 En Chamberlin -- Muted nose but finally coaxed out some raspberries and cabbage. Lots of fruit in the mouth and a good finish. 92pts.
04 En Chamberlin -- Now we are talking funk, pickles, sour cherries, meat, bacon. Cayuse baby! 95pts.
05 En Chamberlin -- Closed a little bit. Not as expressive and explosive as the 05 I had a couple months back. More fruit than funk. Good but not as good as the 04. 92pts.
06 En Chamberlin -- Now we are talking, the sequel. Young but so funky and powerful. Blackberries, blueberries, sour cabbage, herbs, smoke, beef. Long finish. 95pts.
00 En Cerise -- First vintage from this vineyard. Again, a little Australian in style as with the 01 Caiiloux and the 99 WWV. Easy to drink and delicious but not with a ton of depth. 90pts.
02 En Cerise -- Roasted fruits, smoke, spices, jam. Very integrated bottle. 91pts.02 Coccinelle -- Have always been a fan of this vineyard. Lots of red fruits and smoky oak. Good acid that gave it a nice freshness. 90pts.
01 Flying Pig -- First vintage of the famous Right Banker. Definite Cayuse funk and herbs. Veggies, sweetness, minerals, good cab franc. 92pts.
03 Impulsivo -- Wow. What a blockbuster. Muscular, meaty, earthy, chocolate, dark fruits. Super long finish. Best tempranillo in US. 95pts.
04 Impulsivo -- Coffee, meats, vanilla, smoked oak. Not quite as good as the 03. 92pts.
05 Impulsivo -- Red and black fruits on the nose with a distinct smokiness. Another powerful tempranillo. 93pts.
04 Widowmaker --Corked. One of the bottles I brought :(
00 Bionic Frog -- Still kickin' for sure. Ruby red with spice, smoke, soy sauce, cherries, and some pepper. 92pts.
01 Bionic Frog -- Tied for my WOTN. This wine was in a perfect place. So seamless and smooth. Big nose of funk, stinky cheese, blackberries, toast, campfire. So polished in the mouth and so fresh --great acid. Integrated tannins and alcohol. My mouth just popped evertime I took a drink. So f'in good. 97pts.
02 Bionic Frog -- Kind of got lost in the shuffle as it was sandwiched between my two favorite Frogs. Good nose of blackberries and blueberries with hints of smoke. Very good wine but just didn't have the depth of the 01 and 03. 92 pts.
03 Bionic Frog -- Sour cherries, pickles, garbage (in a very good way), beef, blood, bacon, pork. Long way to go. Concentrated fruit. So close to the 01. 95 pts.
04 Bionic Frog -- Cinnamon, minerals, more soy, blackberries, black olives. Great fruit and depth. 94 pts.
05 Bionic Frog -- Looks like the odd years of the Frog are the shiznit. Blockbuster of a wine. Just leaps out in the glass begging to be drunk. Big aromas of bacon, beef meatiness, pepper, chocolate. Dark black fruits in the mouths. Extracted and concentrated. So tasty. 95 pts.
The wines that made the most impression on me were the Neutral Barrel, 01 Frog, 03 Frog, 05 Frog, 04 En Chamberlin, 06 En Chamberlin, 03 Impulsivo, 01 Flying pig, GOK Grenache, and the 05 Cailloux. I think the consensus of the group after this tasting was that Christophe needs to be discussed in the same circles as the best winemakers in the world. Christophe also finished the night off by buying three mags of champagne for the crowd. What a night!
Cayuse Dinner at Wild Ginger, November 2008
First, I'd like to thank Ole, Shane, and the crew at Wild Ginger. They took care of us with class and consideration--which can be hard to do with the motley crew we had there. If any of you are thinking of putting together a wine event or just want a fun place to eat, the Ginger is the place to go. Second, thanks to Trey for helping me put this damn good time together. Couldn't have got it done without the "Magician!" Thirdly, I'd like to thank Christophe for making the kick ass wines we threw down. Lastly, I'd like to thank every person that took time away from their family or the TV to sit down and drink some wine!
I don't need to go into detail about how we were taken aback at the generousity of Christophe, Trevor, and the Cayuse gang for contributing mags of every vintage of the Frog and a mag of the NB since a couple people have already described it. Did I mention that Christophe brought a mag of each Frog and NB?!! As with Trey, James, and anyone else who took notes, as the night went on the notes became shorter and shorter. Here are my notes and thoughts for the evening--to the best of my drunk-ass ability!
99 Dom -- Biscuit-y, citrus, honey, yeast-y. Decades left for this champagne. I'm afraid Dr. Jay would give it a drinking window out to 2115. 95 pts.
04 viognier -- I have not been a fan of Cayuse's viognier (or viognier at all for that matter) but after drinking the 04 I think it just needs time to mellow out in the bottle. Nose of banana cream pie, apples, touch of vanilla. Coating mouthfeel with hints of acid. 90 pts.
99 Walla Walla Valley Syrah -- Last vintage before completely estate fruit. Nice smokiness with fresh fruit and a little pepper. Doesn't seem to be losing anything. 90pts.
05 God Only Knows Grenache -- the first vintage of this wine and what a kickin' wine it was. Mary Jane, stinky cheese, strawberries, and cherries on the nose. So delicate in the mouth but also possessing a presence. Very feminine and silky. Angelina Jolie comes to mind. 95pts.
01 Cailloux -- 2nd vintage from this vineyard. Australian in style as it still has tons of upfront fruit and a little oak. Dense and dark. Still going strong. Tasty. 91pts.
04 Cailloux -- Deep purple. Nose of minerals, pepper, flowers, smoke. Fresh fruit and spices in the mouth. Damn good. 93pts.
05 Cailloux -- A Knockout. Christophe said co-fermented with 2-3% viognier. Floral on the nose with dark fruits. Blackberries, black raspberries, great mouthfeel. 94pts.
05 Cailloux Wallah Wallah Neutral Barrel -- Most people's WOTN and tied for WOTN for me with the 01 BF. So funky that I think it must have been the dedicated drink for the ABA. Herby, stinky, silky, creamy. Also co-fermented with a bit more viognier that gave it a melon-y, pineappleness that was damn intruiging. Hope this gets released at some point. 97pts.
02 En Chamberlin -- Didn't have any notes written for this wine and I think it got lost in the shuffle for me.
03 En Chamberlin -- Muted nose but finally coaxed out some raspberries and cabbage. Lots of fruit in the mouth and a good finish. 92pts.
04 En Chamberlin -- Now we are talking funk, pickles, sour cherries, meat, bacon. Cayuse baby! 95pts.
05 En Chamberlin -- Closed a little bit. Not as expressive and explosive as the 05 I had a couple months back. More fruit than funk. Good but not as good as the 04. 92pts.
06 En Chamberlin -- Now we are talking, the sequel. Young but so funky and powerful. Blackberries, blueberries, sour cabbage, herbs, smoke, beef. Long finish. 95pts.
00 En Cerise -- First vintage from this vineyard. Again, a little Australian in style as with the 01 Caiiloux and the 99 WWV. Easy to drink and delicious but not with a ton of depth. 90pts.
02 En Cerise -- Roasted fruits, smoke, spices, jam. Very integrated bottle. 91pts.02 Coccinelle -- Have always been a fan of this vineyard. Lots of red fruits and smoky oak. Good acid that gave it a nice freshness. 90pts.
01 Flying Pig -- First vintage of the famous Right Banker. Definite Cayuse funk and herbs. Veggies, sweetness, minerals, good cab franc. 92pts.
03 Impulsivo -- Wow. What a blockbuster. Muscular, meaty, earthy, chocolate, dark fruits. Super long finish. Best tempranillo in US. 95pts.
04 Impulsivo -- Coffee, meats, vanilla, smoked oak. Not quite as good as the 03. 92pts.
05 Impulsivo -- Red and black fruits on the nose with a distinct smokiness. Another powerful tempranillo. 93pts.
04 Widowmaker --Corked. One of the bottles I brought :(
00 Bionic Frog -- Still kickin' for sure. Ruby red with spice, smoke, soy sauce, cherries, and some pepper. 92pts.
01 Bionic Frog -- Tied for my WOTN. This wine was in a perfect place. So seamless and smooth. Big nose of funk, stinky cheese, blackberries, toast, campfire. So polished in the mouth and so fresh --great acid. Integrated tannins and alcohol. My mouth just popped evertime I took a drink. So f'in good. 97pts.
02 Bionic Frog -- Kind of got lost in the shuffle as it was sandwiched between my two favorite Frogs. Good nose of blackberries and blueberries with hints of smoke. Very good wine but just didn't have the depth of the 01 and 03. 92 pts.
03 Bionic Frog -- Sour cherries, pickles, garbage (in a very good way), beef, blood, bacon, pork. Long way to go. Concentrated fruit. So close to the 01. 95 pts.
04 Bionic Frog -- Cinnamon, minerals, more soy, blackberries, black olives. Great fruit and depth. 94 pts.
05 Bionic Frog -- Looks like the odd years of the Frog are the shiznit. Blockbuster of a wine. Just leaps out in the glass begging to be drunk. Big aromas of bacon, beef meatiness, pepper, chocolate. Dark black fruits in the mouths. Extracted and concentrated. So tasty. 95 pts.
The wines that made the most impression on me were the Neutral Barrel, 01 Frog, 03 Frog, 05 Frog, 04 En Chamberlin, 06 En Chamberlin, 03 Impulsivo, 01 Flying pig, GOK Grenache, and the 05 Cailloux. I think the consensus of the group after this tasting was that Christophe needs to be discussed in the same circles as the best winemakers in the world. Christophe also finished the night off by buying three mags of champagne for the crowd. What a night!
A damn fine WA State Cabernet
I can't tell you how fortunate wine life can be sometimes. It never fails to happen at least once a year. You are innocently combing your cellar for a specific bottle (this day it was a 2004 Cadence Ciel du Cheval) and you suddenly come across a bottle that you forgot you had. This bottle for me was the 2004 Boudreaux Cellars Cab. I bought this bottle about 2 years ago after seeing Gary V rave about it on Winelibrary TV. I had seen Rob Newsom's wine around town but $50 is a lot to plunk down for a wine you know nothing about. Luckily, I came across that review and decided to take the plunge. Freakin' fantastic wine. I'm on the lookout for more as we speak!
2004 Boudreaux Cellas Cabernet Sauvignon
Opened about 30 minutes before gulping it down. I was shocked at how blood red this wine is, not blue/purple at all like Quilceda. Buttloads of red fruit on the nose--pomegranate, cassis, and cherries along with camphor, red licorice, and my favorite of all, sweat. That's right, sweat. Not in a SEC 300lb. defensive lineman kind of way but in a Megan Fox just ran the treadmill and broke a sweat kind of way. Lush and smooth in the mouth without ever being fleshy. Loaded with red fruits and raspberry liqueur showing great mouth density but never venturing toward excess weight. This wine was so balanced with lip smacking acidity paired with the red fruit sweetness with no signs of tannin, tartness, or oak. It was so suave and polished that I'm surprised the label isn't in the shape of an Armani tuxedo. Damn good. 95pts.
2004 Boudreaux Cellas Cabernet Sauvignon
Opened about 30 minutes before gulping it down. I was shocked at how blood red this wine is, not blue/purple at all like Quilceda. Buttloads of red fruit on the nose--pomegranate, cassis, and cherries along with camphor, red licorice, and my favorite of all, sweat. That's right, sweat. Not in a SEC 300lb. defensive lineman kind of way but in a Megan Fox just ran the treadmill and broke a sweat kind of way. Lush and smooth in the mouth without ever being fleshy. Loaded with red fruits and raspberry liqueur showing great mouth density but never venturing toward excess weight. This wine was so balanced with lip smacking acidity paired with the red fruit sweetness with no signs of tannin, tartness, or oak. It was so suave and polished that I'm surprised the label isn't in the shape of an Armani tuxedo. Damn good. 95pts.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
TN's: Two from Sleight of Hand
In honor of owner/winemaker Trey Busch, I've decided to rename these two wines after Pearl Jam songs as he is a big fan (understatement of the century). The rose I will dub "Glorified G" as I felt like a stone cold pimp strolling the neighborhood with my 1 1/2 year old daughter, Kate, drinking it out of a stemless showing the neighbors my Riedel "O" face. The chardonnay I'll rename "Alive" as that's the effect it had on my mouth, no New World chardonnay creamed butter here.
2008 Sleight of Hand "Glorified G" Cab Franc Rose
Another winner winner chicken dinner from Trey. I'd call him the "King of Rose" but I'm afraid any self-respecting winemaker may take that as a backhanded compliment. Sorry Trey! Served virtually ice cold at the outset. Ruby red color with aromas of spice, red fruits, a little watermelon, and baked rhubard. Sharp and tart at first, it eventually gives way to strawberry coulis and spiced watermelon. A Full mouthfeel, bright acidity, and lip smacking finish deliver another first rate rose from SofH. My mother, who is never impressed with rose, thought this was spectacular and actually wanted to Rock, Paper, Scissor for the last glass. Paper beats rock, mom! 90pts
2007 Sleight of Hand "Alive" Chardonnay
After my buddy Travis came back from Walla Walla saying the best wine he had tasted was a chardonnay, let's just say I was skeptical. After he told me it was made by Trey at SofH, I was certainly intrigued. Intrigued enough to buy three bottles. No need for an AMC gift card as New World-y buttered popcorn is not on the menu. Nice yellow hue followed by a nose of granite, green apple, crushed pear, and hints of spicy oak. I think the nose would hold its own again some PC's from Chablis. A subtle acidic punch from some lemon flavors gives way to a mouthful of more apples, pears, and baking spice and a full finish. I love the Old World feel this chardonnay possesses and with some more time, I think some more complexity will certainly develop. I can't wait. 90pts
2008 Sleight of Hand "Glorified G" Cab Franc Rose
Another winner winner chicken dinner from Trey. I'd call him the "King of Rose" but I'm afraid any self-respecting winemaker may take that as a backhanded compliment. Sorry Trey! Served virtually ice cold at the outset. Ruby red color with aromas of spice, red fruits, a little watermelon, and baked rhubard. Sharp and tart at first, it eventually gives way to strawberry coulis and spiced watermelon. A Full mouthfeel, bright acidity, and lip smacking finish deliver another first rate rose from SofH. My mother, who is never impressed with rose, thought this was spectacular and actually wanted to Rock, Paper, Scissor for the last glass. Paper beats rock, mom! 90pts
2007 Sleight of Hand "Alive" Chardonnay
After my buddy Travis came back from Walla Walla saying the best wine he had tasted was a chardonnay, let's just say I was skeptical. After he told me it was made by Trey at SofH, I was certainly intrigued. Intrigued enough to buy three bottles. No need for an AMC gift card as New World-y buttered popcorn is not on the menu. Nice yellow hue followed by a nose of granite, green apple, crushed pear, and hints of spicy oak. I think the nose would hold its own again some PC's from Chablis. A subtle acidic punch from some lemon flavors gives way to a mouthful of more apples, pears, and baking spice and a full finish. I love the Old World feel this chardonnay possesses and with some more time, I think some more complexity will certainly develop. I can't wait. 90pts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Kick ass night of food and wine...
Spent Sunday night drinking some fine juice at a going away party for a friend whose ditching the goold ole USA for the land of Crocodile Dundee. Anytime this crew gets together, nothing is sacred, and that certainly was the case this night. Seems that big, dense, extracted Cali Cabs were on the menu but a Napa Syrah took the WOTN for me. It was so similar on the nose to Cayuse that if served blind, I would have shouted, "Another great Cayuse nose!" Great night, great food, and terrific company...
2007 SQN Stars and Stripes Rose -- Unlike any Rose I've ever had. A very dark color that if you just took a glance, might mistake for a lighter colored red. Took a whiff and had to laugh because the first thing that came to mind was that it smelled like grape juice (no sh#t, Sherlock, it is made from grapes) which seemed ironic. Dry, with a bit of heat, very interesting. A thinking man's Rose. 90pts.
1995 Kirchmayr Gruner Veltliner Solist -- Honey colored with and aged sweetness of apples and pears. Reminded me of a 1997 Cuvee Freddie I had a couple months back but not quite as complex. 88pts.
2004 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese -- Liquid gold, baby! Golden straw with a nose of stones, honey, and apples. Surprisingly dry in the mouth with a core of sweetness without ever thinking of stepping over the line into cloying. Just cleanses the palate with minerality wrapped by ripe pears. Intense and mouth coating. Loved it. 93pts.
2002 Shafer Hillside Select Cab -- Beast. Punch to the face of ripe, extracted, concentrated dark fruit. Cassis liqueur, graphite, palate staining blackberry fruit. Dense but balanced with a brightness and luxuriousness that doesn't quit. Thanks Travis! 96pts.
2003 Benjamin Romeo Rioja La Vina De Andres Romeo -- Muscular, spicy oak, ripe blue fruit, Old World aromatics. This was just a huge wine that seems to need some more time to integrate. Tons of potential. 91+pts.
2004 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard -- My WOTN! You could just tell from the first smell that this was going to kick ass. Nose of mocha, ripe blue fruit, pepper, funky animal fur (similar to a certain WA State winery whose wines I've occasionally liked ). Huge in the mouth with blueberries and blackberries that had every bit of life squeezed out of them. Lush and silky but radiant and enlivened your taste buds. Century long finish. Ridonkulous. Thanks Steven! 97pts.
2004 Cayuse Widowmaker Cab -- The first reaction from everyone after their first sip was a nodding of the head and a this is good (reminded me of the scene in Pulp Fiction when Quinten Tarantino gives Harvey Keitel that cup of coffee). Lots of herbs, spicy oak, and just a hint of bell pepper on the nose. Handfulls of plums, currants, and pomegranates that balanced out the earthiness. Medium bodied with a nice interplay of savory vs. sweet. Chewy finish. 93 pts.
2002 Chateau Mouton Rothschild -- Old World nose of a little underbrush, #2 lead pencil, and oak spices. Nice solid core of currants, cassis, and black raspberries that allows a seamless transition to integrated tannins. This wine just exudes class --I thought of Sophia Loren while another thought of Catherine Deneuve. Drinking well now. Again, thanks Steven! 92pts.
2006 Maybach Materium Cab -- Big and ripe with gobs of blackberries, currants, blueberries, tobacco, cocoa. Full-bodied, dense, and powerpacked with oak and tannin. You wouldn't think it could be balanced but the extracted fruit, tannin, and oak compose a freakin' good wine with even a little hint of elegance and good length. 94pts.
2003 St. Clement Prometheus Cab -- Smoky oak, dark berries, cigar. A little more tannin than I was expecting. All the stuffing for a very good wine but just needs a bit more time for all of the components to integrate. 90+pts.
N.V. Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927 -- Copper color with nose of nuts, caramel, raisins. Only took two drinks but was tasty nonetheless. Tim kept getting an anise flavor that seemed to be lurking in the background. Nice finish to a great night.
There were two wines that I didn't get a chance to try--a 1999 Jean Luc Columbo Hermitage and a 2003 Friends of Devin Syrah. There is a tragic stroy behind the Devin Syrah so if you see it around...give it a whirl.
2007 SQN Stars and Stripes Rose -- Unlike any Rose I've ever had. A very dark color that if you just took a glance, might mistake for a lighter colored red. Took a whiff and had to laugh because the first thing that came to mind was that it smelled like grape juice (no sh#t, Sherlock, it is made from grapes) which seemed ironic. Dry, with a bit of heat, very interesting. A thinking man's Rose. 90pts.
1995 Kirchmayr Gruner Veltliner Solist -- Honey colored with and aged sweetness of apples and pears. Reminded me of a 1997 Cuvee Freddie I had a couple months back but not quite as complex. 88pts.
2004 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese -- Liquid gold, baby! Golden straw with a nose of stones, honey, and apples. Surprisingly dry in the mouth with a core of sweetness without ever thinking of stepping over the line into cloying. Just cleanses the palate with minerality wrapped by ripe pears. Intense and mouth coating. Loved it. 93pts.
2002 Shafer Hillside Select Cab -- Beast. Punch to the face of ripe, extracted, concentrated dark fruit. Cassis liqueur, graphite, palate staining blackberry fruit. Dense but balanced with a brightness and luxuriousness that doesn't quit. Thanks Travis! 96pts.
2003 Benjamin Romeo Rioja La Vina De Andres Romeo -- Muscular, spicy oak, ripe blue fruit, Old World aromatics. This was just a huge wine that seems to need some more time to integrate. Tons of potential. 91+pts.
2004 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard -- My WOTN! You could just tell from the first smell that this was going to kick ass. Nose of mocha, ripe blue fruit, pepper, funky animal fur (similar to a certain WA State winery whose wines I've occasionally liked ). Huge in the mouth with blueberries and blackberries that had every bit of life squeezed out of them. Lush and silky but radiant and enlivened your taste buds. Century long finish. Ridonkulous. Thanks Steven! 97pts.
2004 Cayuse Widowmaker Cab -- The first reaction from everyone after their first sip was a nodding of the head and a this is good (reminded me of the scene in Pulp Fiction when Quinten Tarantino gives Harvey Keitel that cup of coffee). Lots of herbs, spicy oak, and just a hint of bell pepper on the nose. Handfulls of plums, currants, and pomegranates that balanced out the earthiness. Medium bodied with a nice interplay of savory vs. sweet. Chewy finish. 93 pts.
2002 Chateau Mouton Rothschild -- Old World nose of a little underbrush, #2 lead pencil, and oak spices. Nice solid core of currants, cassis, and black raspberries that allows a seamless transition to integrated tannins. This wine just exudes class --I thought of Sophia Loren while another thought of Catherine Deneuve. Drinking well now. Again, thanks Steven! 92pts.
2006 Maybach Materium Cab -- Big and ripe with gobs of blackberries, currants, blueberries, tobacco, cocoa. Full-bodied, dense, and powerpacked with oak and tannin. You wouldn't think it could be balanced but the extracted fruit, tannin, and oak compose a freakin' good wine with even a little hint of elegance and good length. 94pts.
2003 St. Clement Prometheus Cab -- Smoky oak, dark berries, cigar. A little more tannin than I was expecting. All the stuffing for a very good wine but just needs a bit more time for all of the components to integrate. 90+pts.
N.V. Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927 -- Copper color with nose of nuts, caramel, raisins. Only took two drinks but was tasty nonetheless. Tim kept getting an anise flavor that seemed to be lurking in the background. Nice finish to a great night.
There were two wines that I didn't get a chance to try--a 1999 Jean Luc Columbo Hermitage and a 2003 Friends of Devin Syrah. There is a tragic stroy behind the Devin Syrah so if you see it around...give it a whirl.
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