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!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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.
Monday, May 18, 2009
TN: 2005 Soos Creek Artist Series #5
Decided to go old school this past Saturday night for my father's 62 birthday. I've enjoyed past vintages of this wine and have a vertical from 01-06 that I'm going to pop for dinner some night. David Larson has been making wine for 20 years under the Soos Creek label (only about 5 minutes from where I grew up in Kent). He has been sourcing fruit from Washington's best vineyards for years and that's one reason his wines age effortlessly. If you see one of his wines around town, pick one up--you won't be disappointed.
Essentially a pop and pour (although I left my glass alone for the first 15 minutes). Initial aromas of red currants, plums, tobacco, and some sweet oak. Medium-bodied and ripe polished berry fruit in the mouth with a real nice smokiness that gives way to a vibrant acidity. Noticable depth and well rounded tannins lead to a smooth, long finish. I know this isn't one of my more exciting notes but the wine was just a great example of an elegant, well made Washington bordeaux blend (49% cab, 42% cab franc, 9% merlot). Nothing to make it "pop" but also no flaws...just darn good. 92 pts.
Essentially a pop and pour (although I left my glass alone for the first 15 minutes). Initial aromas of red currants, plums, tobacco, and some sweet oak. Medium-bodied and ripe polished berry fruit in the mouth with a real nice smokiness that gives way to a vibrant acidity. Noticable depth and well rounded tannins lead to a smooth, long finish. I know this isn't one of my more exciting notes but the wine was just a great example of an elegant, well made Washington bordeaux blend (49% cab, 42% cab franc, 9% merlot). Nothing to make it "pop" but also no flaws...just darn good. 92 pts.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
TN: 2007 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis La Forest
Popped and let sit for 30 mins. This baby possessed such a vibrant yellow color that it furthered my already high expectations. After about 5 minutes of swirling, I think I resigned myself to the fact that I opened this too early (it was fairly open two months ago). It was so tight that my wrist hadn't been this sore since the first time I laid my eyes on the gorgeous Heather Thomas in an episode of the Fall Guy. After tons of coaxing, I finally could distinguish some Meyer Lemon and granite on the nose. Muscular, with enough acid to provide a backbone that would make a T Rex proud, hints of spicy apple, and enough stones to put African blood diamonds out business...this is built for the long haul. This may be the first time that I've felt guilty popping the cork too early but it was so good in February. Still a 92 point wine, with the stuffing to be a 95 pointer in 5-10 years. 92+ pts.
Night of Zind-Humbrecht, Kutch, Switchback Ridge, Cayuse, Saxum
Dudes,Sorry I'm tardy with my notes and comments. Work and family seem to get in the way of all the fun! Travis and Mario, thanks for hosting and putting out a kick ass spread of cheese, meats, salad, and hospitality. I'm definitely glad I hadn't eaten beforehand. Fun to meet a couple of new Seattle wine guys --Tim and Tom -- and always good to see Tom Lee, who is a beacon of wine reason amongst all of our wine blabbering! On to the notes...
2005 Francois Villard Condrieu Le Grand Vallon -- Served blind. Creamy roundness with a spiced baked apple tart note and dried pineapple. A lush white and once it was revealed, it made sense that it was viognier. I liked it alot. 92pts.
2002 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer -- Dale is a big fan of ZH so I'm lucky to get to drink his bottles. This was another winner. Nice deep copper color with a nose of passion fruit, stones, along with honey. Dense in the mouth with a geat lush texture balanced by tropical fruits, minerals, and acid. Not as spicy as I was expecting but very good with Mario's spicy shrimp nonetheless. 92pts.
2006 Kutch RRV -- I am on the waiting list for this so was excited to finally try one. As with most pinot for me, it had a knockout nose but disappointed in the mouth. Nose of cola, stewed strawberries, and even a little underbrush. Medium bodied with a thin mid-palate did me in. Just not much going on for me. 87pts.
2005 Galardi Terra Di Lavoro -- This was thrown in and served blind. Strong nose of vanilla oak, baking spices, and dark fruit. Strongly tannic and acidic, this baby needs years to integrate all its parts. When that happens, it will be a very special wine. 90 pts. now with potential to be in the 93pt range.
2004 Switchback Ridge Merlot -- Not a big drinker of merlot but have heard good things about all of SR's wines. Very pleasantly surprised with this wine --thanks Tom Lee. Creamy nose of vanilla, dark fruits, and mocha. Filled with spicy plums, currants, and toasty oak all in balance. Delicious. 91pts.
2001 Blankiet Cab -- I don't think I even got to try this. Not sure how I missed it.
2006 Cayuse En Chamberlin -- After Jay Miller's tasting, we were all looking forward to drinking this and it lived up and even surpassed our expectations. 100 point nose with huge amounts of beef stew, fur, funk, pickles, and black fruits. Decadent mouthfeel giving way to layers of dried beef, blood, sour cherries and cabbage, all made tolerable by the copious levels of New World fruit. Gangbuster finish that leaves that wonderful Cayuse taste lingering for mintues. 96 pts.
2006 Saxum Bone Rock -- It was cool to bring this as a couple people had never drank a Saxum before, so I figured why not bring out a big gun. Decanted for around two hours, this puppy was rockin' from the get go. Big nose of blackberries, blueberries, jam, meat, and spice. Waves of ripe dark berry fruit in the mouth along with chocolate and even some spicy oak. As usual, everything is seamless so there's no hint of heat or tannin. This was so good now but will get even better with a few years under its belt. 95pts.
Wish I would have stayed a little later as I found out Travis and Mike opened a Carlisle Zin to cap off the night! By the way, great write up Tim!
2005 Francois Villard Condrieu Le Grand Vallon -- Served blind. Creamy roundness with a spiced baked apple tart note and dried pineapple. A lush white and once it was revealed, it made sense that it was viognier. I liked it alot. 92pts.
2002 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer -- Dale is a big fan of ZH so I'm lucky to get to drink his bottles. This was another winner. Nice deep copper color with a nose of passion fruit, stones, along with honey. Dense in the mouth with a geat lush texture balanced by tropical fruits, minerals, and acid. Not as spicy as I was expecting but very good with Mario's spicy shrimp nonetheless. 92pts.
2006 Kutch RRV -- I am on the waiting list for this so was excited to finally try one. As with most pinot for me, it had a knockout nose but disappointed in the mouth. Nose of cola, stewed strawberries, and even a little underbrush. Medium bodied with a thin mid-palate did me in. Just not much going on for me. 87pts.
2005 Galardi Terra Di Lavoro -- This was thrown in and served blind. Strong nose of vanilla oak, baking spices, and dark fruit. Strongly tannic and acidic, this baby needs years to integrate all its parts. When that happens, it will be a very special wine. 90 pts. now with potential to be in the 93pt range.
2004 Switchback Ridge Merlot -- Not a big drinker of merlot but have heard good things about all of SR's wines. Very pleasantly surprised with this wine --thanks Tom Lee. Creamy nose of vanilla, dark fruits, and mocha. Filled with spicy plums, currants, and toasty oak all in balance. Delicious. 91pts.
2001 Blankiet Cab -- I don't think I even got to try this. Not sure how I missed it.
2006 Cayuse En Chamberlin -- After Jay Miller's tasting, we were all looking forward to drinking this and it lived up and even surpassed our expectations. 100 point nose with huge amounts of beef stew, fur, funk, pickles, and black fruits. Decadent mouthfeel giving way to layers of dried beef, blood, sour cherries and cabbage, all made tolerable by the copious levels of New World fruit. Gangbuster finish that leaves that wonderful Cayuse taste lingering for mintues. 96 pts.
2006 Saxum Bone Rock -- It was cool to bring this as a couple people had never drank a Saxum before, so I figured why not bring out a big gun. Decanted for around two hours, this puppy was rockin' from the get go. Big nose of blackberries, blueberries, jam, meat, and spice. Waves of ripe dark berry fruit in the mouth along with chocolate and even some spicy oak. As usual, everything is seamless so there's no hint of heat or tannin. This was so good now but will get even better with a few years under its belt. 95pts.
Wish I would have stayed a little later as I found out Travis and Mike opened a Carlisle Zin to cap off the night! By the way, great write up Tim!
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