Wish You Were Here
Enderle & Moll
Muschelkalk Pinot Noir 2018
The 18 is DRC quality a unicorn there is no other Pinot like it right now. It takes hour/days to reveal its layers and power. @40 min: Tannins soft and super well managed no rough edges here a hint of mint, faint touch of black tea bitters, herbaceous @ 15h: More round no oxidative disturbances.
Dark cherry, tart and closed. Finally @7days under Argon: Black Forest meadow, tannins resolved, glorious fruit, long. Dark black heirloom black forest cherries. The 18 E & M Muschelkalk beats out at Pinot I had in the last years . “I wish you where here”. — 4 years ago
Château de La Tour
Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2016
No. 3 in the Chambolle Musigny, Vougeot, and Flagey Echezeaux Grand Cru bracket. Tasted blind. Complete, well balanced, indulgent. Some peppery notes....Clos de Vougeot? Minerally, not much ripe fruit here, Hoisin. Those were my off the cuff notes at the time. I have always struggled with the fact that ALL of Clos Vougeot is classified as Grand Cru. If you have ever visited you will know that the plots on the lower flat near the highway are not of GC standard whereas the upper plots near the Chateau over the road from Musigny have no trouble reaching Grand Cru standard. — 5 years ago
Kongsgaard
The Judge Napa Valley Chardonnay 2006
This was opened for my good friend, and winemaker for Montagu & Silver Ghost, Weston’s birthday. Our local group has long had many opinions on if Kongsgaard’s Judge is worth the up-charge due to expected lifespan. With Kongsgaard’s “death and resurrection” winemaking style, we’ve come across more overly oxidized bottles of Judge within 10yrs than we’d expect. And the regular Chardonnay bottling at less than half the price drinks just as good, if not better, at all stages. That being said, when the Judge is in that magical spot, it is simply spectacular.
My hopes here were fairly low in terms of vibrancy, but at first pour, I knew I was in for something special. Had that green tinge I come across ever so often (which normally leads to young wine and/or wine not exposed to oxygen…neither of those apply here). Steely and tart initially before turning quickly to a more powdered lemon bar, exotic tropical ripe fruits like nutmeg dusted white peach and juicy stone fruit (a bit Peter Michael Point Rouge like on the nose). Salted honey roasted cashews, pineapple, rich honeycomb and a lanolin type twang on the mid palate. Finish here is astoundingly lengthy. While this was likely profound 2-3yrs ago, it’s fantastic today (assuming you don’t experience bottle variation)! Drink up! — 3 years ago
Château Verdignan
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2003
I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.
We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.
While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.
Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.
I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.
He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.
So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.
Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.
As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.
The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.
Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 4 years ago
Tussock Jumper
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020
This pale, yellow wine smells extremely grassy - no surprise for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. There is also a large swath of grapefruit, cantaloupe and tropical fruits cutting through the nose. The grapefruit comes through explosively on the palate, along with a mineral streak a mile wide. The mouthfeel is quite crisp and the acidity zippy. There is just a tiny hint of sweetness here, and the citrus flavor lasts a long while on the finish. You can pair this with any sort of white meat or seafood, but I think it would be a great choice to go with one’s breakfast eggs, if one were so inclined. — 3 years ago
Château Dassault
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2015
Fantastic wine, really enjoyed this one. The nose is stewed blackberries, plum, tobacco, baking spice, cedar wood and raisin. This is powerful juice and it tastes rich and almost chewy with the myriad of flavours balancing the tannins and acidity. The palate is ripe dark cherries, light smokey oak, vanilla and winter spices. It has a long elegant fruit driven finish which I liked. This may not suit the purists as alcohol is high and the style is right up in your business but I wish there were more Bordeaux offerings at affordable price points that really make you feel wow, that was just a great reflection of the region that can be enjoyed now, without taking a second mortgage or waiting until a time you may never see to enjoy. Worth grabbing a bottle. — 4 years ago
Martellotto
M Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I may be biased here, but only a couple library bottles remaining. Liz wants to “lay down with this bottle.” Which should be an indication of the hedonism herein. It’s Bordeaux-y as you would expect from a blended cab from the spring mountain vineyard and 10 years of youth. Most interesting here is the 13.5% and the dose of cab franc which really shines. I wish I had more to appreciate this wine for at least another two decades. — 4 years ago
Lindstrom Wines
Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Overall I was quite disappointed by this wine. For 120+, you expect some balance even when youth and restraint are present. I knew this was going to be a little tight. The nose was actually rather actually pleasing and probably was the best characteristic of this wine. White flowers, red cherry, raspberry, oak. Entry is red fruit dominant. Herbal influence, wildflowers. Middle is very restrained but carries more of that red fruit profile. A dustiness on the finish that went through the nose as if you were about to eject splinters through your nares. I know this one will probably appreciate somewhat, but I really expected more here. QPR not that great. — 5 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!
— 6 days ago