Tasting Notes From James and Mona's Honeymoon in the Wine Country

February 2003

A blind tasting of new-world Syrah at Momo’s

Lewis
1999 Syrah Napa Valley
Blueberry and blackberry with sweet oak. Nice. Don't like it quite as much as I did last August. $50.00

Edmunds St. John
1999 Syrah Wylie Fenaughty
Lime zest, game. Leather. Ink. Bit hard. Rhone-like. I think others enjoyed this more than I. Interestingly, we had a second bottle in the second flight (all blind) and it was completely different (in an inferior way). Off bottle I suppose. $30.00

Edmunds St. John
1999 Syrah Wylie Fenaughty
This second bottle was tart and showed evidence of Brett. Burnt. Not good. $30.00

Qupe
1999 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside
Burning paper and dill. Good with the quattro formaggi pizza.

Ojai
1999 Syrah California
Rich oakey cinnamon. Nice. Aussie-like Low acid. Surprising. $15.00

Tensley
1999 Syrah Purisima Mountain
Salty, saline, minerals, hard red fruit. Pass.

Clonakilla
1999 Syrah Australia
This was lightly corked, but showed lots of promise.

A lovely dinner at Lola with Mona, Mike, and Anna

Domaine les Aphillanthes
2000 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Trois Cepage
14.7% alcohol. We dined outside, so some of the nose may have been lost to the breeze, but this showed a hint of mint on the nose, in a subdued way. Succulent red fruits on the palate with great concentration of flavor. Delicious. Certainly one of the best Cotes du Rhone I have tasted. A little research showed that this wine is made by Daniel Boulle. It is equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre and it is harvested at the same time in October, which is normally when the late-ripening Mourvedre is harvested. This results in very ripe Grenache and Syrah.

August Briggs
2000 Petite Sirah Lake County
Spicy nose on this wine is immediately appealing. After a few minutes in the glass, I began to wonder if the spice was from the fruit or possibly from a heavy dose of American oak. Little hollow on the palate, and watery in the finish, but I thought this was pretty nice to sip on while on the front porch at Lola in Dallas.

Fox Creek
1998 JSM McLaren Vale
Classically Fox Creek nose - graphite, vanilla, chocolate milk, Cabernet Franc herbs. This wine is a monster. At times the oak comes across as pickle barrel, or briny, with a saline kick. Difficult to drink much of.

A Blind April Fool's Day Tasting

Wildhorse
2000 Malvasia Bianco Monterrey
April Fools Tasting -Great nose - effusive herby goosberry and orange juice. We were cautioned it was not Sauvignon Blanc. On the finish it shows bitter orange juice. I was guessing some kind of Gewurztraminer or possibly something from the Trentino Alto Adige.

Czech
1999 Riesling
April Fools Tasting - I didn't bother to try and figure out the name of the producer - everything was written in Czech. Acetone, mineral, petrol. Bracing acidity. Pretty much undrinkable.

Schioppetto
2000 Tocai Friulano Collio
April Fools Tasting - Also strange on the nose - very dry smelling - dried herbs and makeup. Rich on the palate, a bit sweet. Okay, but I'll pass.

Bruno Rocca
2001 Dolcetto D'Alba Vigna Trifole
April Fools Tasting - Old dry wood, waxy resin. Certainly Italian. Good richness, hefty acidity. I was guessing Sangiovese, but alas, was proven wrong once again. This would probably do well with pizza or red sauce.

Shypoke
1997 Charbono Napa Valley
April Fools Tasting - This one threw everyone for a loop. Rich and fruity smelling on the nose with liqueur, new oak, red fruit. A touch of volatility. On the palate I got more rich red fruit and some mint. Hardly guessed.

Sean Thackrey
NV Pleiades XI California
April Fools Tasting - interesting nose - some oxidation, sour cherries, undistinguished oak. Large contrast between what you smell and what you taste. On the palate this is rich with good balance. Some mushroom. Nice. The oxidation and oak had me guessing this might be Spanish.

Castano
2001 Solanera Yecla
April Fools Tasting - Molasses, raisins, new oak, on the nose. Liqueur. Smells new world. Bit disjointed and alcoholic on the palate. Short. Lots of potential but falls apart. I was really surprised to see what this was. I enjoyed it more the other night, and almost ended up bringing it to the tasting, as I thought it hard to guess its origin then too. $12.00

Artadi
1995 Vinas de Gain Rioja
April Fools Tasting - Subtle nose. Earth, spice. Dryness. Tannin? I found this a bit hard with a touch of brett. Interesting, though not necessarily mouth pleasing. $18.00

Domain Carneros
2000 Pinot Meunier Carneros
April Fools Tasting - Okay, of course everyone guess Pinot Noir, probably Russian River Valley…Howard was the hold out - and the only person at the table who professes he doesn't like Pinot. Pinot-like nose for sure with some canned tomato, cinnamon, sweet red fruit. Tangy. Pretty nose. Pretty good.

La Dominique
1994 St. Emilion
April Fools Tasting - Eucalyptus, wax, and oak on the nose. Underbrush. One dimensional. Some "Juicy-fruit" like tastes on the palate. Eh…

Charles Shaw
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon California
April Fools Tasting - The infamous two-buck chuck…In my defense I think I was the only one who wasn't at least a little impressed. No one described it as varietally accurate, but no one spit it out either. My own notes read: "? What to make of this. Mint? Strange." $3.00

Loring
2000 Pinot Noir Gary's Vineyard
April Fools Tasting - This one was a real head trip. I've enjoyed this wine before and found it A) delicious and B) identifiable as a big rich, candied Pinot. No one at the table even uttered the word Pinot on this…Waxy, with rich sweet fruit. Some straw. This is pretty good. I kept thinking it might be a Valpolicella Ripasso style wine or something. $40.00

Clarendon Hills
1997 Merlot
April Fools Tasting - Sweet smelling. Rich and a bit monolithic. Smells a little hot. Waxy eucalyptus. This is nice.

Cline
1999 Mourvedre Late Harvest Big Break
April Fools Tasting - Sweet, alcoholic. Rich sweet red fruits. This is a nice ending to the meal and maybe the best Cline wine I've tasted. $20.00

An Aussie tasting at the Loon with Mike Friend

Torbreck
2001 Woodcutter's Red Barossa Valley
Red fruits, roasted herbs. Good sweetness with the finish turning more acidic. $20.00

Brokenwood
2000 Cricket Pitch South East Australia
Apparently a blend of five varieties. Sweet new oak, smoke, and red fruits on the nose and palate. Chalky tannins in the mouth. OK

Flinders Bay
2000 Mayflower Margaret River
95% Merlot, 5% Shiraz. Smells briny - a bit like seaweed - initially. Sawdust as well. Very lush on the front of the palate, but the wine turns tart on the finish. Sort of a sweet-tart effect. Eh.

Torbreck
2002 Juveniles Barossa Valley
60% Grenache, 20% Mataro, 20% Shiraz. Grapey. Smells like a tank fermented wine - maybe some carbonic maceration here. Good fruit. Simple. Over priced at $30. $30.00

Mitolo
2001 Shiraz Jester Tarlton McLaren Vale
Screwcap. Rich red fruit, some cinnamon. Nice little wine. $20.00

Possums Vineyard
2001 Shiraz McLaren Vale
Nice aromatics of some oak, along with bramble and white pepper. Velvety, lush mouthfeel. Showing some oak. Nice little wine, and a reasonable value. $20.00

Cimicky
2001 Shiraz Trumps Barossa Valley
Honey on the nose? Another "rich red fruit" Aussie. Monolithic, but nice. Outclassed by the other wines in the flight. $18.00

Clarendon Hills
1998 Shiraz Hickinbotham Vineyard Clarendon
Kirsch liqueur on the nose with some sweat socks and olive. Nice balance, long finish. Drinking well, but still tastes like it has a lot more years in it. A retailer was trying to unload these for $30 a piece, and at that price I'm interested. $70.00

Clarendon Hills
1998 Shiraz Brookman Vineyard Clarendon
Initially a bit of funk on the nose. Opens to show some nice complexity within the fruit. Mostly came across as cinnamon bark. Needs some time still. When I retasted this later, it seemed have gotten more funky. Again, decent for $30. $70.00

Clarendon Hills
1997 Shiraz Liandra Vineyard Clarendon
Surprise of the night. This was a delicious fruit bomb. Raspberries galore in a interesting linear tasting wine…meaning it just seemed to progress from the front of the mouth to the back in a linear way. Nicely balanced. Some graphite I think adding nuance. Yum. A good deal for the $25 closeout price. $60.00

Peter Lehman
1995 Shiraz Stonewell Barossa
Others at the table really liked this wine, but I found it pretty ho-hum. Tannic in a way that suggests the tannins won't soften ever. Risky at best.

Chateau de la Gardine
1996 Chateaneuf du Pape Cuvee des Generations
Decidedly New-World in style. Good weight to the fruit, but all-in-all a very neutral wine. Plummy. I think this was being offered for $30, which I guess would make it a better deal than the '99 regular Gardine CdP. $90.00

d'Arenberg
1998 Riesling The Noble McLaren Vale
Smells like Elmer's Glue. Off-putting aromatics. Better on the palate with sweet honey-like flavors. Pass. $30.00

Elderton
2001 Semillon Botritys Australia
Shows some nail polish on the nose, but also some botritys aromas. Big step up from the d'Arenberg. Quite sweet, but very tasty. Honey, some stone fruits. $20.00

A tasting with Adam and Diana Lee of Siduri

Delbeck
1990 Champagne
Well this was being offered by a local retailer for $19, and I suppose that is a good price for vintage Champagne, and the wine was fine, but nothing I could be excited about…I'm having trouble warming up to sparklers… $20.00

Siduri
2000 Pinot Noir Arbre Vert Vineyard Oregon
Smells rich for Oregon Pinot (imho) with red fruit velvet, a hint of pepper and mint on the nose. Initially sweet on the front of the palate but a bit alcoholic and rough in the finish. Candied cherries. Touch of herb. Pretty nice. $29.00

Siduri
2001 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
From three vineyards. Smells like Elmers Glue. Caramel, burnt sugar, a bit raisined. Better, more fruit oriented flavors on the palate. Reasonably good value in Pinot Noir. This apparently saw about 50% new oak, and Siduri likes to use toasted heads. $19.00

Siduri
1999 Pinot Noir Muirfield Vineyard Oregon
Cigar smoke, green herbs, caramel, coffee and cherry. Concentrated flavors, a bit rough on the finish.

Siduri
2001 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Rich and syrupy smelling after the Oregon Pinots. Touch of burnt sugar. Deeply colored. Slightly raisined flavors. Sweet red fruits on the palate and an orange juice finish.

Siduri
2001 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Cinnamon oak alond with caramel and cherries. Sweet. Nice mouthfeel, as if the wine were a sliky mesh on the tongue. Suggestion of swimming pool water? Best yet.

Siduri
2000 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Santa Rita Hills
Soapy with a similar caramel quality to the other wines. Medicinal. Rather neutral on the nose. Sweet fruit but lacking definition and disjointed. Simultaneously a bit flabby and a bit acidic.

Siduri
2001 Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vineyard Santa Rita Hills
This is promising…one big Pinot…Slightly richer smelling in the nose with some oak and black cherry fruit. More raisin flavors. Pretty good stuff if you like the style. Adam and Diana were excited about this vineyard's potential. 182 cases.

Novy
2001 Syrah Sonoma County
As we moved into the Syrahs, I felt my sinuses shutting and allergies taking over, but here goes…Rich alcohol and raisins on the nose, then some floral and caramel flavors. A bit hot. $19.00

Novy
2001 Syrah Napa Valley
Cinnamon and floral add nuance to the nose with more caramel and alcohol. Bitter chocolate? Black cherry fruit mostly. Good concentration and length. 15.1% alcohol. As an aside, this was surprisingly good with a bith of strawberry cheesecake.

Novy
2000 Syrah Page-Nord Vineyard Napa Valley
Best nose yet - Cinnamon, liqueur, alcohol, caramel. Somewhat better balanced and not as hot on the finish.

June 2003

Domaine Font de Michelle
2000 Chateauneuf du Pape
Pretty, Apricot infused nose. Honey, flowers. Kirsch. Gorgeous, round, lush, silky palate. Not much power or concentration but a lovely wine. Grenachey fruit, dry herb finish. Early drinking. $20.00

May 2003 Washington Tasting

Chinook
2001 Semillon Yakima Valley
Zippy minerals with some stone fruit. Smells a bit Sauvignon Blanc-like but otherwise a little Rhonish and a little vague on variety. I like this, even still. Guessed Semillon.

Cain
2000 Musqe Sauvignon Blanc, Ventana Vineyard, Monterrey
Middle of the road with crisp green apple with a bit of lime and grapefruit. Okay.

L'Ecole 41
1999 Semillon Columbia Valley
OAK, big time. Some tropical fruit. Might tame itself with age?

McCrea
2000 Cuvee Something Syrah Yakima
Promising nose. Creamy blueberry fruit. Some acidity livening it. Not bad. Overpriced though. $45.00

Powers
1998 Parallel 45 Columbia Valley
Red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Green burnt wood on the nose, but in a pleasant way. Oaky palate. Not much fruit, just warmth and body. Not much finish.

Chateau St. Michelle
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Columbia Valley
Based on the nose, I'm thinking an oakey Merlot. Some richness on the palate, no sharp edges, coffee and mocha. Consensus was that this was light and nondescript for a Cabernet.

Andrew Will
2001 Syrah Cuvee Lucia Seven Hills Vineyard
A note of stonefruit in the nose makes me think this has some Viognier in it. Grapey and youthful. A bit short. Not bad if this is inexpensive.

Waterbrook
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Smells like a Cabernet with creamy cedar. Medium weight. Pretty good. Probably decent value.

L'Ecole 41
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Graphite and oak. Charcoal, black raspberries. Cab or Syrah. Decent.

Glen Fiona
1999 Syrah Bachus Vineyard
Peppery Syrah fruit. White pepper. Stonefruit again (what's up with my nose?). Medium-bodied. Licorice and blueberry. Bit of acid. Softish. Nice. $20.00

June 2003

James’s bachelor party wines

Domaine les Aphillanthes
2000 Cotes du Rhone Cuvee les Galets
My bachelor party at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. Beautiful wine. Rich, ripe fruit, but still nuanced. Classy yet at times rustic. $25.00

Rareshides’ Tasting at Maguire’s

Leoville Barton
1999 Pauillac
Deep color - old wood, earth and mushroom. Rich, plush fruit. Smells more tannic and inaccessible than it actually tastes.

Geyser Peak
1997 Meritage Reserve
Musty smell. Bit short and uninteresting, but tastes better than it smells.

Justin
1999 Isoceles Paso Robles
Sweet fruit nose with bourbon barrel accents. Lush, open. Big currant fruit with a touch of leaf and a candy finish. Very good.

David Arthur
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Sweet mineral licorice. Fruity, rich, decent length. Pretty good.

Justin
1997 Iscoceles Paso Robles
Nice nose - flavors of butter, soft chocolate. Nice wine.

Beringer
1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Napa Valley
Rich with a touch of cigar in a sweet way. Nice surprise.

Beringer
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Napa Valley
Perfume. Deep smelling with rich candy fruit and a touch of Brett.

Dominus
1984 Red Napa Valley
Corked…though some people thought it was the wine of the night…

Dalle Valle
1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Great nose! Mineral blueberry and steel. Rich chocolate, balance. Blood. This rocks. Wow!

David Arthur
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation 1147 Napa Valley
Minerally French oak. Saline smelling with pickles, leather, cigar, currant, and cassis. Nice.

Marquis Philips
2001 Shiraz Integrity McLaren Vale
Sweet creamy chocolate cherry fruit. Loads of it. Roasted scorched earth. Mint. Vanilla cream fruit, brown sugar and maple. Mint. Yum. Is it $45 better than the Shiraz 9? $75.00

Viader
1997 Red Napa Valley
Mint and eucalyptus over high quality fruit. Something about it reminded me of port at the time.

Chateau Montelena
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
Old wood, bitter cocoa powder, cardboard, cigar smoke. Sweetish fruit. Grown up. A bit herbal. Okay. Tastes sharp next to the Pahlmeyer Merlot.

Pahlmeyer
1999 Merlot Napa Valley
Sweet port-like nose. Eucalyptus and menthol. Chocolate covered cherry. Nice.

Behren's and Hitchcock
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Black cherry, red licorice, dust, and yeast. Plastic. Different. Not great. $40.00

Shafer
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stag's Leap District
Sweet rich red and black fruit. Cedar with a touch of licorice. Very nice.

Martin Ray
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain Napa Valley
Chris Hayes decanted this early in the day to try and get it to open up. It has been a perennially disappointment. Oaky caramel nose Spicy oak. Decent palate. Still needs time and less oak.

Beringer
1994 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Napa Valley
Bit port-like from a bit of oxidation. Cigar, rich black fruit. Thick. Okay.

Paloma
1999 Merlot Napa Valley
Deep red fruit. Mocha. Rich smelling. Eucalyptus. Nice. Balanced, big, but still has a pleasant softness on the palate.

Peter Michael
1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots Diamond Mountain
Green, dirty diapers. Green mildew. Good fruit on the palate. Ultimately deemed corked.

Lynch Bages
1999 Pauillac
From magnum. Apricot, high-toned nose, like a pluot. Plummy fruit.

Kaesler
1999 Shiraz Old Bastard Smoky, Zinfandel-like nose initially. Sweet red fruit with good depth and some mint.

A tasting of Spanish wines, originally scheduled to occur at Rouge, but moved to Campisi’s al a minute

Isabel
2002 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
Lovely gooseberry and peach in a sweet way. Medium-full bodied.

Chateau Tahbilk
2000 Marsanne Victoria
Corked $12.00

Chateau de L'Hyverneiere
2000 Muscadet Reserve
A hint of cinnamon on the nose. Sauvignon Blanc like acidity with vague fruit. Acid and minerals. The Melon grape shows its weaknesses in my opinion. $10.00

Pesquera
1995 Ribera del Duero
sweet nose of oak and read fruit. A touch of oxidation. Vanilla caramel. A bit short and tannic. Brown spices. Rather Pinot Noir-like at times. With air it seemed to dry out, and then resurface a bit later with a different aspect to it. $25.00

Pesquera
1996 Ribera del Duero Reserva
Deep color. Initially has a subdued nose of plum, tar, old wet wood. Tannic and Bordeaux-esque. Rich palate fruit. Still needs time, but it began to open towards the end of the evening.

Pesquera
1997 Ribera del Duero
Sweet nose that shows a heavy oaking. Hint of Brett and funk. Brown butter and earth. Medium-bodied. Okay. $25.00

Propriedad Remondo
2000 Rioja Rouge
Clove and cinnamon on the nose. Zinfandel style nose. Oohee! Rich red Zinny fruit. Very nice. $22.00

Emilio Moro
1999 Ribera del Duero Sweet French smelling oak on the nose. Cherry, earth, chocolate, and creosote. Medium-full bodied with rich raspberry and cherry fruit and moderate tannins still evident. Nice. $20.00

Alvaro Palacios
1999 Les Terrases Priorat
Mint and musk on the nose with wax and eucalyptus. Corked? $20.00

Castello del Remei
2000 Gotim Bru Costers del Segre
Sweet cherry koolaid nose with cherry fruit, creosote, and some wax. Decent. $12.00

Hartford Court
2000 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard Russian River Valley
Zippy acidity. Classic Pinot Noir nose shows a hint of herbal greeness. Medium-light bodied. Okay, vastly overpriced. $50.00

Hacienda Monasterio
1997 Ribera del Duero
Brown sugar and cinnamon with candied cherries. Not bad. $20.00

Tresantos
2000 Zamora
Badly corked.

Susana Balbo
2000 Malbec Mendoza
Intense cedary American oak nose. Rich, low acid fruit.

Cheers!
James

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