Tasting Notes From March 2005

Henri Mellsemie
1995 Champagne
Brut
Somewhat sherried nose in the sense that the wine is slightly oxidized and nutty with an interesting cocoa powder note to the palate. Decent. Tasting at Fin

Rochioli
2003 Sauvignon Blanc
Sonoma County
Blind White 1 - nose of grass and some funk. Medium-light bodied. Slightly briney with some oak influence. Not very acidic. Okay. Tasting at Fin

Dog Point
2004 Sauvignon Blanc
Section 94, Marlborough, New Zealand
Blind White 2 - Chalky nose with loire-like, steely minerality makes me initially think this is French, but it is rather rich for Loire. Good cut. Nice with food. Tasting at Fin

Kumkani
2004 Sauvignon Blanc
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Blind White 3 - Grass, light bell pepper, clean lime. A touch sour smelling. Lots more bell pepper on the retro-nasal. Green pepper. Interesting but far from thrilling. $12; Tasting at Fin

Kim Crawford
2004 Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough
Blind White 3a1 - Lovely nose of fragrant limes and some kind of tropical melon. Dry chalk. Sweet tart grapefruit dominates the palate. I heard someone say lemongrass. Good. Best SB of the tasting. Tasting at Fin

Thomas Labaille Chavignol
2002 Sancerre
Cuvee Buster
Blind White 3a1a - Corked Tasting at Fin

Palacios Remondo
2001 Rioja
Blanco "Placet"
Blind White 3a2 - Light petrol, not unlike a Riesling, but not. Waxy, oaky, buttery. Okay. What is this? Lanolin. Tasting at Fin

Feudi di San Gregorio
2002 Fiano di Avellino
Blind White ? - Wax, Rhone-like quality. Rather fruitless. The palate is fat, boring. Dead? Hmmm…I usually like their wines. Tasting at Fin

Au Bon Climat
2001 Hildegard
Santa Maria Valley
Blind White 4 - Heavy bottle is the first thing you notice. Quite oaky, like Chardonay. Minerally, toasted French oak. I don’t think this is Sauvignon Blanc. And I was correct. Apparently a blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Aligote. Tasting at Fin

Duckhorn
2002 Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
Blind White 7 - Very pale. Light wax. Nothing going on here. Tasting at Fin

Williams-Selyem
2000 Pinot Noir
River Block, Russian River Valley
Blind Red 1 - Clearly Pinot Noir from the nose with some tin can tomatoes, plaums, and a lovely cinnamon spice. Red berry fruit. Bit tangy and a touch medicinal but still very good. The fruit tastes like Russian River Valley to me. Tasting at Fin

Chateau Charvin
2001 Chateuneuf du Pape
Not Blind - Nice nose of pinon, jam, black fruit, pepper. Medium-full bodied and a bit closed. This had just arrived yesterday. A touch savory. Good potential. Tasting at Fin

Tardieu Laurent
1996 Cote Rotie
Blind Red 2 - French smelling but with a very rich appearance and flavor profile. A bit closed. I kept vacillating as to whether I thought this was a Rhone or a Burgundy, believe it or not. All became clear once it was unveiled. The olives becoming more obvious. Pretty good. Tasting at Fin

Roar
2002 Pinot Noir
Garys' Vineyard
Blind Red 3 - This seemed like a solidly made central coast Pinot Noir to me. I didn't get very excited about it though. Tasting at Fin

Torbreck
2002 The Struie
Barossa Valley
Blind Red 4 - Blood, iron, sweet oak. Cote Rotie-like soft red fruit blueberry turning to red berry nice. Tasting at Fin

Paloma
2002 Merlot
Napa Valley
Cocoa with a lovely piercing mint nuance. Medium-full bodied turning a bit tight in the finish. Really good though. The finish is the week spot. The roughness here seems like it could youthfulness or an overexposure to oak. $51;

Rolf Binder Wines
2002 Shiraz
Heinrich, McLaren Vale
Really nice with super-low acidity and tons of sweet red fruit liqueur. Nice. $20;

L'Aventure
2002 Syrah
Paso Robles
This wine has a wonderful nose of sweet black fruit and toasted bread oak. The palate is somewhat more austere with a tannic(?) structure impeding the fruit. Good though. $40;

KumKani
2004 Viognier
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Okay, but a little too soapy. Lots of apricots up front with some minerals and oranges later. Medium-to-light in body. Suggestions of overripe apricots. $12;

Chateau de Campuget
2003 Viognier
Prestige, Vin de Pays du Gard
Light, but very fruit with lovely apricots. I get the sense that this was harvested a little earlier than some of its peers because the wine is labeled as only 12.5% alcohol and it avoids the occasional soapy quality that I have noticed in the Cantarelles Viognier of the same vintage. $10;

Chateau Valcombe
2003 Costieres de Nimes
Prestige
This wine divided Mona and I. It is dense, full bodied and a little hollow at this point. The fruit seems present and the wine has a sense of fruity sweetness, but the fruit is buried and hard to get down to. I look forward to retasting this. Another flavor I observed was toasted blackberry seeds. $14;

Domaine Ehrhart
2002 Pinot Gris
Rotenberg, Vin d'Alsace
Blind White 1 - Steely nose that never gives up very much. Very shy. Nuances of wool. The palate, by contrast, is richly fruited with tropical flavors of mango, orange, and canned pineapple. Lightly sweet. Decent. $20; Alsace and S&D

Jamek
2001 Riesling
Ried Klaus, Smaragd
Blind White 2 - Interesting nose almost a wooly, butterscotch thing with a sense of candy. Simultaneously austere. Pretty good. Sweet attack but it is lacking in identifiable fruit flavors. Unveiling this helped make sense of the nose. Alsace and S&D

Charles Heidsick
1990 Brut
Champagne
Blind Sparkler - Very sherried and oxidized with nutty battery acid flavors. Lots of character, but I don’t care for it. Alsace and S&D

Trimbach
1999 Riesling
Cuvee Frederic Emile
Blind White 3 - Petrol nose tangy, lemony fruit. Softish and simple. The petrol seemed a bit more potent when I came back to this wine a few minutes later. Not very impressive. Alsace and S&D

Zind Humbrecht
1997 Riesling
Clos Saint Urbain, Rangen de Than
Blind White 4 - Touch of petrol, with steel and canned pears. Rich - the fruit is generally white. Decent. Alsace and S&D

Domaine Weinbach
2000 Tokay Pinot Gris
Cuvee Lawrence, Clos de Capucins
Blind White 5 - Very petrolly. Rich, honey, and sweet. Very nice. I figured this was a ZH. Alsace and S&D

Zind Humbrecht
1996 Riesling
Clos Saint Urbaine
Blind White 6 - Light, petrol nose. Riesling? Pretty. Decently concentrated. John noted a hint of funkiness that I missed. Good. Alsace and S&D

St. Innocent
2003 Pinot Gris
Vitae Springs Vineyard
Blind White 7 - Moderate petrol on the nose. Light, lemony. At first I called this decent, then retasted it and hated it….must be palate fatigue. Alsace and S&D

Juan Gil
2002 Jumilla
Blind Red 1 - Aussie-like nose of sweet oak and crème brulee. Not much structure. John pegged it as a Spanish wine right off the bat. $15; Alsace and S&D

Domaine Fourrier
2001 Gevrey Chambertin
Blind Red 114- Light Pinot Noir from the nose with green watermelon flavors. Dilute. Not good. Alsace and S&D

Loring
2003 Pinot Noir
Clos Pepe Vineyard
Meaty, sweet red fruit. Somewhat structured and chewey. Coffee and spice underneath. This is pretty darn good Pinot! $42; Alsace and S&D

Borgo San Daniele
1999 Tocai Friulano
Quinine on the nose - rather strongly. A bit weak on the palate with tangy hints of lemon and lime. A bit like a gin and tonic made from grapes. $10;

Kay Brothers
2002 Shiraz
Amery Vineyards, McLaren Vale
Aromas of ham and sweet red and black berries. Medium-full bodied with lots of fruity goodness. Not as sweet as a Marquis Philips Shiraz. Screwcap is appealing. $22;

Phillippe Delesvaux
2002 Coteaux du Layon
Blanc
Slightly sweet. Not much nose. A bit simple, but okay/inoffensive. Northern California with DeTapas

Beaulieu Vineyards
1997 Tapestry
Napa Valley
Blind Red 1 - Sweet oak, cassis, cedar, sweet black currant. Concentrated - more cedar and cassis and black currant on the palate. A little tight in the finish. Good. Give this a little more time. John aptly described the tannins as "wood tannin." which is what they seemed like. Hint of late mint. Surprised this is still a little tannic. Northern California with DeTapas

Hartford
2000 Zinfandel
Dina's Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Blind Red 2 - Interesting nose - if it wasn't in a Bordeaux-style bottle I might think it was some kind of Pinot Noir- Zinfandel blend. Touch of prickly acid and effervesence on the tongue. Zinfandel weight and richness with high-toned wild berries and some sweet oak. I noticed more spices on the nose later. Tastes like a Zinfandel made by a Pinot Noir producer. Northern California with DeTapas

Pine Ridge
1995 Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain
Blind Red 3 - Deeply colored. Muted nose. Older smelling. Tired, tar and some reluctant fruit. Eh. This is dead. Northern California with DeTapas

Paloma
2002 Merlot
Napa Valley
Blind Red 4 - Deeply colored with sweet candied cherry and red currant fruit. Powdered sugar. More sweet red berry fruit. Good. I like this more than I did a couple weeks ago. Northern California with DeTapas

Clos Apalta
2002 Clos Apalta
Cochagua Chile
Blind Red 5 - Dense red currant. Tight, but lingering sweetness. Rich, concentrated. Cab? Probably. Rich bright red currant fruit. Good. Northern California with DeTapas

Pride Mountain
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Blind Red 6 - Minty, Cabernet nose initially with slightly high-toned fruit. Decent. Strange. Ultimate judgement reserved. $56; Northern California with DeTapas

Luna
1999 Canto
Napa Valley
Blind Red 7 - Sweet and sour red currant fruit. A bit drying late. Minty. Lighter finish. Decent, but not good. 54% Sangiovese. Northern California with DeTapas

Radio-Coteau
2003 Pinot Noir
Marsh Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
Very spicy on the nose with cinnamon, clove and other "Christmas" spices mixed with something slightly herbaceous, but in a non-green way. Very aromatic. Tangy black cherry fruit with a slightly metallic edge. Slightly firm in the back of the palate. In the glass this wine is medium-garnet (whatever the hell means) and moderately translucent. May need some time to show its true potential. I can't decide if the spiciness should be chalked up to barrels or fruit.

Lucien Albrecht
2003 Pinot Gris
Cuvee Romanus, Alsace
Rich on the palate with honeyed fruit. The fruit is hard to identify - vaguely white - but good for the money. $12;

Vina Godeval
2002 Valdeorras
Blanco
Masculine, slightly austere nose of wool. Tangy sweetness with maybe a touch of nut. Ultimately rather vinous and just another white wine.

Numanthia
2002 Numanthia
Toro
100% Tinta de Toro. Overall I was disappointed with this wine, particularly vis-à-vis its price and quality relative to the 2001 vintage. Initially closed and a little too woody with an overly tangy palate. Broadened and became a little more chocolatey with air time, but it never justified its price. $60;

Carlisle
2001 Zinfandel
Gum Tree Ranch, Russian River Valley
WOW! Nose. Just screams out, "Look at me! Eucalyptus!" I love smelling this wine. Rich red and black berry fruits with a ton of richness and no hard edges. The alcohol (16%+) is not apparent at all. Lovely, luscious stuff. I can't believe this vineyard was torn up. I think this is my last bottle… $28;

Pride Mountain
2001 Merlot
Napa and Sonoma Counties
Wonderful nose of mocha-chocolate-subtle espresso, touches of smoke, sweet powdered sugar. Medium-full bodied, concentrated. Not lengthy, but very satisfying. I like this much more than i did at last tasting. $50;

Clos Florident
2003 Graves
Blanc
Nutty oak over nice green, grassy, gooseberry fruit. Attractive. $23; QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Henri Boillot
2002 Bourgogne
Blanc
I didn't jot any notes down, but this was a decent little white Burgundy. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Hereu Raventos
NV Cava
Brut
Sulfury nose but decent overall. Not up to the same level as the next wine. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Duval-Leroy
1996 Chamagne
Blanc de Chardonnay
Smells cerealed, like bran flakes or cheerios. Nice mouthfeel with decent richness. Not bad at all. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Heritage de Thieuley
2000 Bordeaux Supérieur
Classic Bordeayx nose - dank woody aromas with a touch of green pepper skin tannin. Thick and chewey in the mouth with decent concentration. Well made. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Faugeres
2000 St. Emilion
Grand Cru
Rich nose showing plummy red fruit with a touch of mocha. Cherry. Someone mentioned this wine having a meatiness to it. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Private Cellars of Jim and Sheila Clary
1997 Red Wine
Napa Valley, Reserve
Craig's mystery wine - Sweet oak nose with lifted aromatics suggesting some Cabernet Franc or Malbec. Rich and concentrated. Plush with nice length. Pencil shavings, then dark chocolate and mint. Nice. This is apparently declassified Harlan? This reminded me of the 2001 Arietta. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Frombrauge
2000 St. Emilion
Grand Cru
Plush, rich sweet nose tinged with mocha. Sweet, corpulent and softish with red and black fruit. Very fruit forward. Liked this. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Frombrauge
2001 St. Emilion
Grand Cru
More pencil lead in the nose than its older sibling with mocha, coffee, and black fruit. Medium-bodied with some nuances of menthol. Creamy texture. Nicely made wine. Several people liked this the best of the evening. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Du Tertre
2000 Margaux
A bit stinky on the nose with strong aromas of roasting coffee beans and old wood. A bit boxy and hollow, but okay. The nose doesn't thrill me. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Du Tertre
2001 Margaux
Very similar nose to the 2000 with scorched earth and roasting coffee beans. More elegant, but fades fast in the finish. A bit weedier. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Chateau Valrose
2000 St. Estephe
Blind Magnum - Old wood tannin nose. Creamy black currant fruit. Soft. Minerals. Okay. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

D'Aguilhe
2000 Cotes de Castillon
Rich smelling with light mocha. Rich sweet black currant fruit. Good. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

D'Aguilhe
2001 Cotes de Castillion
This wine was a served at too warm of a temperature to be fair with it. Similar to the 2000 with mocha flavors, but generally not that great. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Chateau Poujeaux
2000 Moulis en Medoc
Blind Red 3 - Touch sour on the nose. Old wood, red fruit. Rich, concentrated black fruit. Slightly chewy but nicely ripe. Touch of late minerals and yeast. Pretty nice. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Reignac
2000
Blind red 4 - Scorched earth nose. Medium-bodied. Okay. Not great, inoffensive. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Fleur de Bouard
1998 Lalande de Pomerol
Smells a bit tight and subdued with black plums and minerals. Tight. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

La Fleur de Bouard
1999 Lalande de Pomerol
Similar flavors to the 1998, but softer and more accessible. Pretty good. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

La Fleur de Jauge
2000 St. Emilion
Grand Cru
Blind Red 5 - ham? Black fruit with a rich, creamy mouthfeel. Nice. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Cos d'Estournel
1998 St. Estephe
Blind Red 6 - Nice - very classy tasting with ripe, concentrated black currant fruit and some piercing pencil lead. This had been open for about 24 hours from Zach's consultant meeting the previous day. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Chateau Rieussec
2000 Sauterne
Outstanding wine. Rich, sweet peaches and apricots. "num nums". I am a sucker for Sauterne. QPR Bordeaux at Red Hot and Blue

Loring Wine Company
2002 Pinot Noir
Clos Pepe Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills
Deeply colored for Pinot Noir. Wonderful aromas of chocolate and cherries that seem perhaps a little out of context for the variety still make for a delicious drink. Late acidity is a bit more snappy and varietally correct. Delicious stuff. $42;

Turley
2002 Zinfandel
Old Vines
Showing nicely after a hearty Chinese meal. Bright red berry fruit with spice components. Sweetish and with a little bit of noticeable alcohol. $30; Dad's Birthday

Pride Mountain
1999 Cabernet Franc
Napa Valley
Not a bad showing, but this wine has clearly shed its youthful exuberance. A fair amount of toasty oak with dark fruit and some nuances of mint and chocolate. $52; Dad's Birthday

Cheers!
James

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