Calculated Risk
Roger Sabon
Le Secret des Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2012
The wines of Roger Sabon have been on my radar for about ten years now and I have always thought the “Prestige” designation was, pound-for-pound, one of the better values in all of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. However, for one reason or another, I never seem to drink them that often. This particular bottle of “Le Secret des Sabon” was a lone singleton resting in my cellar since release. My wife, after an unusually exhausting week of work, said she wanted to drink something “impressive”...which means to me that the juice better not suck. And while “Le Secret” has a reputation for being one of the great wines from the entire appellation, I was taking some risk when I selected this bottle since I had no personal experience with it. As soon as I pulled the cork, it was clear this was going to be a special experience. Glass staining garnet with a touch of color that looks almost brown-ish however, there are no signs of decomposition. There is, however, a fairly decent amount of fine sediment. The fruit...well...the fruit is simply sensational. We’re talking fistfuls of the purest raspberries and cherries with some star anise, slightly burned pie crust and black pepper. This is a wine of tremendous texture and balance. Medium acid and medium plus tannins, the latter of which are so fine and silky. The ABV is stated as 15% but it’s so well hidden you would hardly notice. My only wish was that “Le Secret des Sabon” wasn’t so expensive...but there is no doubt about its quality. Drinking so well now but could easily hold for longer if necessary. — 4 years ago
Calculated Risk
Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish/ purple rim.
Full bodied and bold with medium acidity.
Dry and very fruity on the palate.
Showing blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, earth, vanilla, spices, espresso, bitter herbs, peppercorn, tobacco and dark chocolates.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa valley. Rich and extracted. Powerful and flavorful.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Shows nice complexity already.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 3 hours of airtime.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Has good structure, and could become a 94+ point wine. Will be nice to revisit it in 5 years.
14.3% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$90. — 2 years ago
Fairvalley
Chenin Blanc
This wine was so special. I know chenin blanc is a bit of a risk, but I had it in mind to pair with salty Chinese food, and found this VERY price-friendly organic bottle at my favorite wine store. It had none of the overt fruitiness or oiliness that sometimes comes with CB; rather, I think it was the perfect combo of the yellow apple richness of traditional CBs expressed in a very lean, dry, tart, wildly acidic sipper with just a hint of ginger spiciness. If you’ve read this far you can see I really loved this wine. 💛 — 4 years ago
Craiglee
Sunbury Shiraz 2012
Several previous notes on Delectable. Aromas of pepper, spice and leather. A medium bodied palate- more restrained than I was expecting. A very good cool climate Shiraz but when you don’t get complete ripeness in these cool climate reds, you do run the risk of a little astringency which is what this has. I have a couple left but where will any improvement come from? I have enjoyed this Cuvée over many years and many vintages so this may sound a bit harsh. I noticed my note in January 2023 said it might be going through a dumb phase — a year ago
Château La Rose Figeac
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1990
1990 vintage. An under the radar Pomerol, bought in 1961 by the grandfather of current owner Nathalie Despagne. He also owned La Tour Figeac in Saint-Emilion and La Rose Figeac is just across the Saint-Emilion border. The 4,56 hectare vineyard consists of 9 parcels (all within 500 m of each other) on gravelly sandy soils and is planted with Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc. My bottle had a near-perfect level and as the smell was a bit musty upon opening, but there was still good fruit in the mouth and the colour looked very solid, I took the risk to decant it. It turned out to be a wise decision as the wine evolved positively, even if the tannins remained a bit rustic. On the other hand it still has lively fruit and freshness, it is a testimony to the ageing potential of Bordeaux wines and an attractive food wine. Abv. 12,8% . — 3 years ago
Dragonette Cellars
Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2009
Very pleased that this 2009 vintage tasted better than the disappointing 2010 vintage I had a few months ago. Muscular and interesting, with enough fruit, tannin and alcohol remaining after 11 years to demonstrate its Central Coast origins. Enjoyed this with a pared down Thanksgiving dinner of Julia Child’s Caneton aux Cerises instead of turkey. A calculated risk, and worth it. — 4 years ago
Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona
Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2014
2014. Call it 9.1-9.2. So solid for an off-vintage but Ciacci rocks. Has a slightly sour funk with the cherry fruit which combines with surprising concentration to make it fairly unique - works for me. Good tertiary Sangiovese flavors as well. Drinks well now but wouldn’t risk hold too much longer given this subpar vintage. $40 At Wine Library, elsewhere. — 4 years ago
Vanessa
“La Côte” of Domaine de la Côte is a DREAMY Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills AVA of California’s Central Coast region.
Here pacific coastal breezes stretch inland and cool the sun-soaked vineyards. Domaine de la Côte has a collection of 6 vineyards on the western edge of Santa Rita Hills. On the back label you see a map of several of their vineyard blocks, including “La Côte” which is organically-farmed and nestled on a steep southeast-facing slope, where it absorbs the radiant sun during the growing season.
The grapes that went into this wine were harvested by hand, cluster-by-cluster, affording a gentler handling of the fruit with reduced risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage.
This wine was then fermented in a concrete vessel using 100% whole clusters (stems and all) thanks to the process of wild, ambient yeasts in the vineyard, winery, and on the skin of the berries…
The result is a positively perfumed and pristine berry-fruited profile with concentrated notes of black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, boysenberry, hibiscus, rosewater, cherry blossom, and anise balanced by a firm backbone of acidity and reserved alcoholic profile (13.1% ABV).
Following fermentation, this wine matured for 10 months in oak (30% new oak), lending delicate secondary notes of vanilla, clove, and cardamom.
The Domaine de la Côte “Bloom’s Field” was among the wines featured in the Somm 3 movie; it was blind tasted next to other French and California wines in a 2018 retake of the 1976 Judgement of Paris that culminated in a tasting of wines by a panel of luminaries of the wine world: Fred Dame, Jancis Robinson, and the late, great Steven Spurrier, who organized the Judgment of Paris back in 1976.
It is a captivating wine and has the structure to age, though we are loving it in its current state. It’s a delicious pairing with the herb-crusted salmon, roasted asparagus, and crème fraiche / chive mashed potatoes.
Cheers!
— a month ago