Randy and Sasha Sloan threw an amazing dinner paty last night, spurred on by the desire to have an East Bay Wine Spectator Online Offline Event. I first just have to thank them for being *incredible* hosts. Really, everything was so far above and beyond what it needed to be, it was ridiculous -- they even put in the effort to prepare a picture perfect sunset view from their patio!

I took no notes, but here are some thoughts...

1995 Schramsberg Reserve: Excellent sparkler. Schramsberg is the only CA sparkler I know of that could be inserted into a vintage Champagne tasting and fool blind tasters. It is excellent and it tastes like Champagne (with, perhaps, just slightly more fruit than many, and less yeast). Apples, oranges, bread dough, minerals, a little Sherry, a little nuttiness. I’m not certain I would take this over all similarly priced Champagnes, but this is unquestionably a fine bottle of wine. 93

2006? Schoilium Project Sledge Hammer White: (I think that is the name)… a little residual sugar, banana, tastes like a Viognier/Sauv Blanc blend – I have no idea what it really is. Better than diet coke. 88

2006 Ladd Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast: Eric Lundblad (the owner) was complaining that this was closed down and not what it “really” is, or ought to be. I loved it. I loved the medium-bright, complex Pinot nose. Yeah, the palate was a little closed, especially compared to the nose. But this is Pinot, when is that not the case? This was decanted for 2+ hours and Eric is of the strong opinion that ’06 Pinots – some of them are going to turn out very well – but that they need serious decanting or patience. Certainly, this was showing better than it did at Pinot Days.

2000 Lafite-Rothschild: Completely closed. Flowers, minerals, a little fruit. I would not even think about opening another one, even if I had a complete case, for 10-12 years, and this won’t start singing for AT LEAST 15 years, probably more like 20, actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes 25 years to completely come around. An education at Randy’s generosity, but an education I’d advise against unless you (even after last week) have many many millions. 90(+)ish points right now. Who knows what the future holds?

2003 Leoville-Poyferre: Far better than the Lafite right now. Open nose with menthol and cassis. Very Bordeaux. Nice palate. Long finish. That’s all I really recall. 93.5ish (but I’m not the hugest Bordeaux fan)

1996 Leonetti Cab: Over the hill. I love these wines, but they aren’t agers. Lean. 87.5

2005 Cayuse “Flying Pig”: Overt Cab Franc domination with tons of green bell pepper. Some may like this, but I prefer green pepper on my plate, not in my glass. Funny enough, I can sort of understand why someone would really like this, I just cannot be objective enough to be fair about this flavor profile. <straight to the dump bucket for my palate>

2001 Blankeit Cabernet: Band aide. Not drinkable. I’ve had several Bryant’s and a few Blankeits and while I think Helen Turley is a genius with her Marcassin Chardonnays, and an occasional genius with her Pinots, particularly under the Martinelli label, I’ve yet to be impressed with her Bordeaux varietal offerings. As I said, this is not, in my view, a drinkable wine.

2004 Spottswoode Cabernet: Very good. Reminded me a little of Seavey, which, if you leave aside the price difference, is a compliment coming from me because I’m a fan of Seavey. Nothing really stood out about this though, other than that it is a well made wine. 92

2002 Portfolio (ie. "Profile" ): This is *good*. This is exactly what I want in a CA Cab. Lots of big dark cassis fruit, HOWEVER, kept in check with good acidity and without letting the alcohol creep way up. Great purity of fruit. Very well made. Is this really the same winemaker as for Mondavi? If she is, she is holding back at Mondavi because this is better than anything I’ve tasted from them in a long time. 93.5

2002 Gemstone: The Profile, but not quite as good. But everything I said about it can be applied. Dark rich cassis fruit, velvety tannins. Just not quite as complex or pure. 93

2005 Match Vineyards Cabernet Butterdragon: Very good, but not excellent. Really don’t remember too much else. 91ish

2005 Match Vineyards Cabernet Baconbrook: Noticeably better than the Butterdragon. Again, I don’t really recall much of anything specific here. 92ish

2004 Etude Cabernet Oakville Vineyards: I may be biased because I brought this, but this was my WOTN. But, again, I brought it because I bought it because it is my style of wine. Walnut, blueberry, black cherry, lots of firm tannins. LONG yet structured finish. A great food wine, actually. Doesn’t pretend to be Bordeaux yet very well balanced. 94

2001 Hundred Acre Cabernet Kayli: Good, not special. I don’t recall anything specific. 92ish

1998 Kracher #10: Kind of Sauternes-like. Am I blaspheming if I say this is about the tenth Kracher I’ve had and I’m yet to be blown away? Orange rind, a little spiced apple, nice brown spice, long finish, well made… Very good wine. 93

I’m sure I’m forgetting some of the wines we had, and I’ll post them and if I have any thoughts about them later.

Cheers!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: winetarelli,

Right on Winetarelli, thanks for getting the wines down!

There was also a 1995 Kistler Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast which was drinking beautifully.

I think the Scholium was the Naucratis, but I am not 100% certain. Interesting wine.

Eric's wine was indeed the 2006 Sonoma Coast, and I too loved it.

I actually liked the 1996 Leonetti. I've always found these wines over dominated by Oak, but that was not the case here. I found it nicely balanced, with good texture.

The Spottswoode was the 2004, nice wine.

I loved both the Match wines very much, and I'm very glad I ordered. The Baconbrook was much more approachable on this evening (which apparently surprised Randy), while the Butterdragon seemed somewhat closed, but with great potential.

My WOTN was the 2003 Leoville Poyferre, by a fair margin. I can certainly see why this wine has gained such high scores, it had everything - power, structure, depth, balance. A stunning wine, and I'm glad to have 11 more bottles .

Thanks again to the Sloans, you went way above and beyond!!

Ah...

Yes...

I showed up about 45 minutes late and the Kistler was already gone!

I think it is hard for me to be objective about some Bordeuax as there is something about them I just tend not to enjoy (outside of, for some reason, Montrose and Haut Brion). I think if I had a less "biased" palate I probably also would have prfered the Leoville Poyferre.

Also, thanks for the note on the Spottswoode.

Hope to see you again soon! And to remember it!

Good Grief, winetarelli , you're a tough sell, but an excellent TN's scribe!

2000 Lafite I don't have a clue why anyone would open a 2000 Lafite and expect anything more than you got, yet I do it too---I just can't explain it!

2003 Leoville-Poyferre is probably a wine to be opened in another 10/15 years. nuff said

1996 Leonetti Cabernet As for the Leonetti, I'm still on the waiting list----but what they made in the 90's is not what they are producing today! They are now in for the long term.

Cayuse Flying Pig -- I'm also on their waiting list....I don't like green pepper in my wine either, and I don't like the name, Flying Pig, but I like Cab Franc. Perhaps that bottle was flawed.

Blankiet--- I dropped off their list after the 2003 release, but their 2003 Cab is outstanding, plus with a new vineyard manager (Abreu) and a new winemaker (Martha McClellan) you can expect big things at Blankiet----------probably the annual price increases!

All of your 2002 Cali Cabs seemed to do well. That was really a lush vintage, and one of my favorite Cali vintages, along with the 2004 vintage.

2005 Match----It is a very elegant wine and should be opened first and not after all those Flying Pig, 2000 Lafite, and 2003 Leoville Poyferre tannic bombs! Seriously, it is also just too early to drink, I think it needs time to grow in the bottle! Originally, I questioned the 2003 Match, but it has grown into a beautiful wine. I'm betting the 2005 Match will surprise you sometimes in the future. You need to give it another shot, and next time, put it first to try.

2005 Match Baconbrook I almost pulled a Match Baconbrook 2 weeks ago, but was persuaded to leave it in the racks for a few more years---I'll revisit that decision next year after reading your review.

1998 Kracher #10 I'm blown away by Kracher also, but by the cost of the Kracher...I have 375ml's of the 1998 #3,#4, & #12...I just didn't enjoy them enough to continue!

Anyway, I enjoyed your post and sounds like everyone had a great time...

latour,

I think you would be surprised at how well that 2003 Leoville-Poyferre is drinking right now. Sure it will go the distance, but it is fully open for business and a delight to drink now. I'll let the rest of mine sleep a good long while, but I've no regrets from opening one now.

Winetarelli - thanks for the notes!

The "Profile" was actually Portfolio.

My WOTN was the Match Baconbrook (and I told Randy that I wasn't just trying to be a kiss ass ) It was showing the best of all the cabs for me.

Eric L's Ladd Pinot was a really interesting wine. Maybe because it was served slightly chilled it reminded me of a summer drink: incredibly light with peach black tea and tropical fruit notes. Really looking forward to his release.

Eric,

Yes, I would be surprised, but tastings are so subjective, and I prefer my Bordeaux wines to be a medium to fully mature!

I was attend a Bordeaux tasting of the 2003's when they were first released and the Leoville Poyferre seemed to be a very tannic, but a solid wine for the future when it had matured and balanced out....I would never have guessed you could approach it at this early stage.

tanglenet

quote:

My WOTN was the Match Baconbrook (and I told Randy that I wasn't just trying to be a kiss ass ) It was showing the best of all the cabs for me.

Now I really confused; sean7 & wiml convinced me that the Baconbrook wouldn't be ready for another 5 years and I put it back in the racks...but it was your WOTN.

That means I'll try it soon, very soon!

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
tanglenet

quote:

My WOTN was the Match Baconbrook (and I told Randy that I wasn't just trying to be a kiss ass ) It was showing the best of all the cabs for me.

Now I really confused; sean7 & wiml convinced me that the Baconbrook wouldn't be ready for another 5 years and I put it back in the racks...but it was your WOTN.

That means I'll try it soon, very soon!

I do not know how long the Baconbrook was decanted. But it was quite good... not not closed for business by any means.

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
tanglenet

quote:

My WOTN was the Match Baconbrook (and I told Randy that I wasn't just trying to be a kiss ass ) It was showing the best of all the cabs for me.

Now I really confused; sean7 & wiml convinced me that the Baconbrook wouldn't be ready for another 5 years and I put it back in the racks...but it was your WOTN.

That means I'll try it soon, very soon!

Even Randy was surprised. He said it was usually the reverse. He mentioned that he decanted the wines around 4pm and we showed up around 6pm. We were still tasting at 10. I would give it a 4-5 hour decant if you try now.

By the way,

TN's are updated.

And I also wanted to add that the Ladd smelled like pineapple. Deffinitely.


Latour,
You say:

quote:

[I attended]a Bordeaux tasting of the 2003's when they were first released and the Leoville Poyferre seemed to be a very tannic, but a solid wine for the future when it had matured and balanced out....I would never have guessed you could approach it at this early stage

I think there has to be a differentiation between "open" and "mature". The 2000 Lafite was shut down. This was not. This was open. If it shuts down in the future, I don't know. And cetainly, this is 7-12 years from attaining the secondary characteristics that people love about Bordeaux. But... the wine was open for business.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: winetarelli,

quote:

2005 Match Vineyards Cabernet Butterdragon: Very good, but not excellent. Really don’t remember too much else. 91ish

2005 Match Vineyards Cabernet Baconbrook: Noticeably better than the Butterdragon. Again, I don’t really recall much of anything specific here. 92ish

You are in violation of points conflicting with tn! "Outstanding: wine with superior character & style" is in the 90s which would be closer to excellent than very good. Very good would be back in the 80s. You have been hanging out with dr.darkrichandbold again, haven't you?

I agree with Wineterelli about the 2000 Schramsberg J Schram and 1995 Schramsberg Reserve. I have far more experience with Schramsberg than any other sparkler. They never disappoint and in fact, this is the only Wine Club that I am a member of.

I'm not even sure where I got the 1990 Lassalle 1-er Cru Blanc de Blancs but thought it was wonderfully yeasty and nutty.

It's odd that on a Cab themed night my WOTN would be the 1995 Kistler Chardonnay Sonoma Coast but for anyone who's had a mature Kistler chard that has been stored well, you'd understand. They are so interesting... they just invite contemplation and study.

My first wine from this label, the 2007 Scholium Project Naucratis Lost Slough Vineyards had an interesting nose of banana and other tropical fruit but I found the flavors rather simple and the wine approaching "off dry." It would compliment a curry or other spicy meal though.

Eric L, the winery owner, thought the 2006 Ladd Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (pre-release) was closed down but by the time I got to the glass I had set aside, I thought it was really starting to show some interest. Definitely a more classically styled Pinot than we're seeing out of many CA producers.

The 2005 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Cairn was a bit shy but running it through the venturi coaxed a bit of life out of it. According to Mr Happy CSW who brought the bottle, most of these he has opened have been singing a louder song.

IMO, a little Cab Franc goes a long way but the 2004 Cayuse "Flying Pig" has something like 52%. Not my cup of tea.

I'd agree that the 1996 Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon was lean but don't agree that it was over the hill. In fact, I think it needs a few more years. It's never going to be a blockbuster, but should be a sophisticated mature wine.

The 2001 Blankiet Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Vineyard was so bretty, I think this bottle would be classified as flawed in almost anyone's book.

I really liked the 2002 Gemstone and thought it was much more interesting and complex than previous bottles of Gemstone. They always seemed a bit over the top and simplistic to me but this is turning into a serious wine.

I don't remember much about the 2002 Portfolio Limited Edition or the 2004 Spottswood Cabernet Sauvignon Estate other than I liked both quite a bit. The 2001 Hundred Acre Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard, on the other hand, while an okay wine, was outclassed by the field on this particular night.

Yes, I knew the 2000 Ch. Lafite Rothschild would be too young to drink but having only started buying futures with the 2000 vintage, I wanted to see what a first growth from a great vintage was like at age 8. Like someone said, it probably needs 15 more years. I'll probably try another one in 7 and see if I want to sell some of my stash. The 2003 Ch. Leoville Poyferre was more approachable, but in this field, it was hard to judge. It was a great wine but with so many CA cabs, the flavors and profile were just different to really shine for me.

I'm glad folks enjoyed the 2005 Match Cabernet Sauvignon Baconbrook Vineyard and the 2005 Match Cabernet Sauvignon Butterdragon Hill Vineyard. I was surprised that the Baconbrook seemed the most approachable. Eric L and I were discussing what it's like to bring your own wine to such an event. It's sort of like watch your kid play a sport. Sometimes they get the hit, sometimes they strike out, and sometimes they do something totally unexpected like run the wrong way around the bases. <g>

Both the 2004 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville and the 2004 Realm "The Bard" were showing extremely well. If not for the Kistler, the Realm would have probably been my WOTN.

Thanks, Eric White for bringing the 1998 Kracher Nummer 10 so smooth and sweet. (The wine, not Eric.)

quote:

I showed up about 45 minutes late and the Kistler was already gone!

Sounds like a great night. I love reading notes like this...it emminates fun and what wine is all about. Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
Now I really confused; sean7 & wiml convinced me that the Baconbrook wouldn't be ready for another 5 years and I put it back in the racks...but it was your WOTN.

Latour, please note that the Baconbrook at this offline was the 05 which starts shipping next month. The 04 Baconbrook that you have should wait a couple of years.

quote:

Originally posted by Randy Sloan:

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:
Now I really confused; sean7 & wiml convinced me that the Baconbrook wouldn't be ready for another 5 years and I put it back in the racks...but it was your WOTN.

Latour, please note that the Baconbrook at this offline was the 05 which starts shipping next month. The 04 Baconbrook that you have should wait a couple of years.

Randy,

Sorry, too late, I opened the 2004 Baconbrook last night and could only give it a 2 hour decanting......I think sean7 & wiml were both correct; the 2004 Baconbrook should stay in the cellar for more ageing so those tannins can soften. The 2004 Baconbrook already has good structure and good fruit, which will make it an excellent wine in 4 or 5 more years, probably a 93/94 pointer.

quote:

Originally posted by latour67:


Randy,

Sorry, too late, I opened the 2004 Baconbrook last night and could only give it a 2 hour decanting......I think sean7 & wiml were both correct; the 2004 Baconbrook should stay in the cellar for more ageing so those tannins can soften. The 2004 Baconbrook already has good structure and good fruit, which will make it an excellent wine in 4 or 5 more years, probably a 93/94 pointer.

See you should always listen to Joe and I!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by seanr7:
See you should always listen to Joe and I!!!!

You're right! You guys let me know who to root for in the Texas - OU game.

Wow, Randy and Sasha put on a fantastic event Saturday. Beautiful and relaxing home and view, excellent food and a fun group of folks.

My wines of the evening were the 03 Leoville Poyferre and the 05 Match Baconbrook.

My second place group included 02 Gemstone, 96 Leonetti, 05 Match Butterdragon, 02 Portfolio and the 04 Realm

The 00 Lafite was a treat to try, and was a great yet massively young wine...impossible for me to put in the WOTN/second group categories tho.

The Cayuse had some greenness to it...and some matchstick to it as well...makes me wonder if it had mercaptans. Should have put a penny in it to see if it improved.

Too bad about the 01 Blankiet Cab....makes me worried about the bottles of 01 Blankiet Merlot that I have. Odd that cellartracker doesn't have any similar complaints.

I loved the 90 Lassalle Blanc de Blanc...aged Blanc de blanc champagne is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, I had a small amt of the 95 Kistler chard right after the champagne, and I have a hard time adjusting from champagne to chard...sounds like I missed out.

All in all...a really fun evening!