Saturday we hosted a BBQ. Theme was "Burgers and Bordeaux". The idea was to taste through samples of each of the 5 grapes that can go into a Bordeaux, then have examples of blends of the grapes. Touching on France vs the new world and through young, middle age and older versions. It was a good party and a lot of fun:
Notes are brief:
Merlot - 2001 Joseph Phelps (Napa Valley) 1997 Lewis (Napa Valley)
The Phelps was a surprise, with nice plum fruit, a bit of spice and good mouthfeel 89pts. Lewis had more depth to me 90pts, but most preferred the Phelps and it had 1 WOTN vote
Cabernet Franc - 1999 Cooper Garrod Cab Franc (Santa Cruz Mountains) 1999 Pride (Napa Valley)
Evenly split crowd on this one. The CGV was savory, with tobacco and earth notes and good balance 90pts. I prefered the Pride, with rich black fruit, good length and great strucure. A bold wine 93pts.
Petite Verdot - Domaine Becquet (Lodi)
This wine inspired the tasting. I don't see 100% Petite Verdot often. Nice flowery nose and good spicy flavor. Lacked length, and definition but still fun 87pts
Malbec - 2000 Edgewood (Napa)
High acidity to me. Good nose and black fruit, enjoyable 86 pts.
Cabernet Sauvignon - 2001 Neal Family (Napa)
Very big. Everyone commented on 'needing more time'. Bold flaovors, very rich and with good grip. Long long finish 93pts
Then the blends:
2001 Spring Valley Uriah (Walla Walla)
Didn't show as well as last bottle I had. Savory plum and anise, but a bit short on the finish. 90pts
1998 Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion (Graves, Bordeaux)
Notes under TAA 92pts+
2001 Kathryn Kennedy Lateral (California)
Many peoples WOTN and I missed it
1996 Clerc Milon (Pauillac, Bordeaux)
More open than I would have expected. Black cherry nose, with spicy cedar and oak. Well framed 89 pts.
1995 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages (Sonoma) (Thanks to John Henry's Dad for bringing this one, it was great to meet you)
I really liked this. Mature and ready to go. Would have prefered to savor this over some roast lamb. Good fruit with secondary flavors mixing in. 93pts
1985 Nieubam Coppola Rubicon (Napa)
Years ahead of it. Still dark, rich and strong, no signs of fading. Black fruit, spicy oak. 90pts.
1988 Chateau Clerc Milon (Paulliac, Bordeaux)
My WOTN and many others (most of the serious geeks). Great fruit nose, almost floral, still showing great color, and mouthfilling black fruit. Finishes with complex cedar, and fruit. My last bottle (one year ago) was not as good as this one, but this one was wonderful 94 pts.
Nice notes, tlily. I just have one questions / clarification: under the 'Cab Franc' header, you listed a 1999 Pride Reserve. I wasn't aware that they made a Reserve Franc. Is this accurate and, if so, how did you locate that particular bottling?
Cheers!
Posts: 1647 | Location: Seattle, WA, USA | Registered: Mar 22, 2004
96 Clerc- Guess you didn't like it as much as I did. Actually the 96's (Brdx. in general) are disappearing from my cellar at an "astonishing" pace Have you tried the '96 Carruades? 88 Clerc-A dense, dark ruby color and a telling cedar nose is only the tip of what you'll be getting . I'd say this one has a long life ahead of it.
Salud!
EDIT:
Hope to see you in a few weeks .
Posts: 1302 | Location: Mexico | Registered: Jun 25, 2002
too bad you missed the kathryn kennedy. i've never had the lateral. don't think i've seen it in stores either. is this a winery only? to date, i've come across the signature cab sauv, the small lot also. no lateral. how much cash for this bottle, and should i be loading up on some 01 kennedy provided i can find it?
Posts: 1348 | Location: Burr Ridge, IL | Registered: Mar 26, 2002
BRR, I corrected that. Not my bottle, was brought by friends.
Gusbo, I had the Carraudes last about 2 years ago. Very nice. Spicy wine. I decided on after 2006 for my last two bottles. The 96 was not bad at all perhaps just not as enjoyable for me right next to the 95 Cinq Cipages, which I really liked.
Frankie, It's available at retail for @ $30. I have a couple in the cellar. A blend of all 5 grapes from a variety of vineyard locations, just carries the 'California' AVA. The 2000 Kathryn Kennedy's are out now, and I understand showed very well at the Las Vegas event, where Vino Me gave it a 93 or 94. This one is worth buying.
tlily - Thanks for the notes. I'm in general agreement.
Merlots - I prefered the Phelps (90pts) as I felt it was just showing better than the Lewis (88pts) but as you point out, not much difference.
Cab franc - Agree completely and the Pride (93pts) was my co-WOTN.
petite verdot - The Becquet was an extremely interesting wine, very forward and bright with a short finish and little depth. Sounds bad but I enjoyed it a great deal, would be a good wine with ribs. 86pts.
Didn't try the Edgewood.
I wasn't that high on the Neal Family cab. Nice, but nothing special. Simply very solid, medium fruit, depth and finish. 90pts.
Didn't particularly like the Spring Valley, had some herbalness to it that I've found before in Washington cabs. As you say, more plum than currant. Not bad, just would hope for more. 87pts.
'01 KK Lateral was terrific. Showing much better than I would have expected but still has the balance and structure to go quite a few years. Wonderful depth of fruit. My co-WOTN, 93pts
'96 Clerc - I liked this and felt it was basically mature and ready to go. Lacked something mid-palete but an overall nice wine. 90pts
'95 Cinq - This had great aromas and entry but finished slightly short and thin. 91-92 pts is right, a very good wine with minor flaws. Probably would have been better had I opened the bottle before arriving.
'85 Rubicon - Very good. Mature with leathery fruit and fine tanins. Can go a few more years but why? 92pts for me.
'88 Clerc - I liked this but this bottle was far short of being ready for me, needed five more years! As a result, I found the fruit muted to it's potential and the finish clamped down by the tanins. Big wine but only(!) 91pts right now.
Many thanks to you and Stef for having us over, the ball's definitely in our court now.
This bottle of 88 Clerc Milon was a clear 5 points better than the last one I opened. That one had me thinking "drink now", this one said "wait". You just never know for sure.
D'Oh. I wish I would have seen these notes before I placed an order the other day. I ordered the '01 Small Lot Cab instead of the Lateral. Oh well, I'll just have to place another order.
BTW, the '01 Lateral is available from KL Wines for $26.99.
It's very mild here. 55 at night, 78-80 during the day. If you did overnight, only thing to worry about is on your end and that should just be a few hours.
quote:Originally posted by drthvader: STEVE8 If your in Montreal why do you have the wine shipped to chicago and how do you get it to montreal from there? I must be missing something.
Let's just say that I will be going through Chicago regularly enough to eventually get them back here. My parents live near Boston but that doesn't help me because Mass is a no ship state.
Maybe next time I'm in Toronto and can get together for an off-line, you can tell me how you get all your US purchased wine back home?
. I'd say this one has a long life ahead of it.
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