I am currently vacationing in San Diego and I have met some extremely friendly wine people since I have been here. On Wednesday I was invited to a 1999 Spring Mountain tasting to be held in the private tasting room at The Wine Sellar and Brasserie. Below are some brief notes along with my opinions and rankings. Another note: that these wines were served "SINGLE BLIND". All were approx. 2 ounce pours.

Opener: 1999 Stony Hill Chard.- I am not a huge chard fan but I can say that I really liked this offering by SH. pear, peach, little vanilla butter, nectarine and nice mineral aftertaste.

1) Barnett Vineyards cab-
Great dark color with no brimming at the edge, Big, bold, earthy and concentrated, anise, currant, tobacco, cedar, a touch of leather,cocoa and black cherry flavors,great tannins that will let this wine age for 10+ years. This was my #4 of the flight.

2) Cain Five Blend-
Soft black fruits, a touch of bing cherry?? and mint with a hint of anise, coffee, and vanilla. Not very complex and a little soft for mtn. fruit, must be a blend, Cain Five? This wine was not my cup of tea and I realized why when I found out that my guess was correct. I think the last "decent" Cain Five was produced in 94 and has just been boring since. This was my #10 of the flight.

3) Keenan Cab-
dark purple color, black-cherry/berry, earthy, choco anise, sweet ripe fruit. Some rough tannin that makes me think this is either Togni TB or Keenan (Venge loves his tannin). This wine was my #5 of the flight

4) Marston Family Cab-
Great color, black fruit with a great earthly, and slight mineral, Tannin were well integrated and this was a great balanced wine. My #7 of the flight.

5) Pride Napa Cab-
WOW!!! great color dark purple. rich and spicy nose, great taste, superb mid-palate, great long finish, wish this was decanted, currant, cigar box, anise, black berry and black cherry fruit aftertaste. Can I get a case discount of whatever this is? This wine was my #2 of the night.

6) Ritchie Creek cab-
Great color with slight hint of brimming at the edges, black cherry, cedar, mint?, coffee, nice solid wine. My #6 of the flight

7) Sherwin Family Cab-
dark color, great sweet nose, cedar, vanilla, coffee, and chocolate, no mid-palate and weird over tannic aftertaste that lingers for a while. My #9 of the night


8) Smith-Madrone cab-
Nice dark color, overbaring smell of mint (Not pleasant like Heitz MV mint) the mint distracts whatever else is going on with the nose. dill, cedar, vanilla, espresso, long finish with great tannin structure. After an hour the mint mellowed out and became very enjoyable. My #8 of the flight.

9) Spring Mtn. Miravelle-La Perla-Chavalier-
CORKED!!!!!!

10) Philip Togni Estate-
HELLO!!! WOW!!!. Dark, Dark and Dark intense color, currant, tar, earth, huge tannic beast, sweet black fruit. a solid 60 second finsh that I gave up counting on. I would guess this is Togni estate. Needs time!!! My guess was accurate. My #1 of the flight

11) Philip Togni Tanbark Hill (Young Vines)-
Nice dark color, slightly herbaceous, green pepper, earth, tar, currant, dark fruit,great mid-palate, nice finish. Solid wine. My #3 of the flight.

After the tasting we were surprised with a bottle of 1974 Spring Mtn.-
This wine was about 8 years past its prime but was still enjoyable as measuring stick for good old mtn. fruit. Fruit is faded, not nearly sherry but heading down that path. light burgundy color, nice nose though. Treat!

Once the tasting was over many small groups of us went upstairs to dine. Since I was a solo guest appearance I was all alone, but soon found friends in wine. I met a very nice Navy captain that is a plastic surgeon for the Navy here in SD. He was more than willing to let me sit with him and his wife so we could talk about wine experiences we all had had.

I didn't take notes of these wines at dinner because I was tired of writing and wanted to do nothing but enjoy my fantastic venison.

1998 Elderton The Command- decanted 3 hours. What do they do to this wine, one phrase to describe it is OVER THE TOP!

1995 Bichot chambertin decanted 2 hours, but didn't need it. Med pinot color nie fruit.

2000 Sanford Rinconada vnrd.- decanted 2 hours and needed it, Nice solid Ca. pinot Santa Barbara is doing some great things with pinot.

1845 Cossart-Gordon Bual Madeira. This wine is a little light for my experiences. I have had a few 150+ year madeiras this year but found this to not be in the category as others.

Temporarily in San Diego

[ 10-06-2002, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: winebrat ]

Love those Tognis. Love your comments on Togni. BUT, this is wayyyyy too early for Togni. So, it will get ever better, guaranteed. I talked to Togni & his wife about it. They say it is a crime to open their Wines so early. He is a character.

And actually, a funny story, that they told me a when I visited the Vineyard. A Restaurant in CA was selling a '99 Togni. Their daughter, who will continue/take over 1 day, noticed that. Told the Wine Manger that you should Not be selling this Wine now. He did Not know who she was. He basically told her off. She told her father, Philip Togni. He called the Restaurant & told them that they no longer be getting his Wine.

Winebrat, I was with David when he was touring Spring Mountain a couple of weeks ago talking with the winemakers. Went to Togni, Smith-Madrone, and Ritche Creek. It is quite different than down in the valley.

Was the name of the Dr. you met Ken? If so I think I know him.

On the Pride I doubt you will even be able to find it at list price much less get a case discount. The current release is 2000 so you will have to search around to get the 1999.

Btw, will you be in San Diego next weekend? If so send me an email and perhaps we can meet up.

Skwid-
Unfortunately we are leaving for Sac. tomorrow afternoon. What I wrote was exactly the way I wrote my notes before I new what the wines were. I didn't know it was Pride at the time I wrote the case discount comment. I have a big Pride stash of all vintages already. I am a huge fan and I ususally like what Foley does with the wineries he consults. I have toured Spring Mtn. many times myself and found all the wineries and wines to be incredible with the exception of Guilliams. I am completely embarassed to say I cannot remember the good doctors name. I am so bad with names.

winebrat -
you do have to love pride (every year) and the 99s are great. Have you had a chance to try the 99 reserve cab yet? way to early but it is amazing, could easily end up my favorite pride reserve to date! As for Togni, my 99s are in a deep whole but i had a bottle of 91 about a month ago - talk about WOW.

sounds like a great time, glad my fellow southern californians are treating you well.

cheers
jeff

Hey RUGGS-
I think I met you before at Matts 97 Cult Cab dinner at Spago last Spring. I have the 99 reserve but after tasting the 97 reserve at Matts tasting I am holding on to all my Pride Reserves/Clarets for some age. I might open the 96 next year.

[ 10-11-2002, 02:34 AM: Message edited by: winebrat ]

winebrat -
I was there, which fellow decant soul were you?

jeff