Houston Berserkers Offline
Sophia
Tasted Saturday, April 14, 2012 by GalvezGuy with 640 views
Introduction
Everytime I go to an offline, I am impressed by the friendliness and generosity of my fellow online wine lovers. There were a lot of great wines a this event and the whites made a very strong showing. My WOTN was the Zepaltas Pinot, it was delicate and pretty, very well made, drinking great now with a long future. There are a lot of missing notes, I think there were 21 bottles on the table, I did not get to every bottle. I really wanted to try the the Lucia Chardonnay and another Pinot that is escaping my foggy memory of the evening. I don't have the vintage of the Kistler Chardonnay but in this night, it really did not show well as I felt it was over-everything that I don't like about many chards. There is a very nice Cremant that is escaping me now was well.
Flight 1 (14 Notes)
Closing
Thanks to the WB Houston crew and Sophia. I thought the service was friendly and quick, considering the large group of folks. We will need to get together again soon. I enjoyed the company and the generosity of some great people
2009 Kongsgaard Chardonnay
USA, California, Napa Valley
Nose of mineral, meyer lemon, oak, pineapple, golden delicious apple. On the palate, very tightly coiled, lots of mineral, some yellow fruits, citrus, obvious oak treatment. Tremendous bone dry finish. Too young for me to properly scoree, would love to see this again in a few years. Gut impression, 92-94.
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2009 Kosta Browne Chardonnay One Sixteen 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
I was ready for a butter bomb, but instead was really impressed. Nice nose of apple, pear, ginger, and a nice sea air aroma. On the palate, nice flavors of citrus, apples, and pears with a nice saline quality. Great lift on the finish with some well-integrated oak. I am defnitely a buyer of this when the next set of allocations come out. Beautiful stuff.
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2010 Cold Heaven Viognier Le Bon Climat 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Rich golden color. Classic Condrieu nose with peach pit, apricot, honeysuckle, mineral, citrus, white pepper. On the palate, peach, citrus, lychee, lemon oil, white pepper. Great balanced finish. Great showing for this wine in the company of some very serious whites.
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2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Nice pale yellow color. Great nose of yellow fruits, green apples, citrus, sea air, mineral. On the palate, citrus, stone fruit, mineral. Very full on the mouth yet weightless at the same time. Long finish with lively acidity. Anyone with this in their cellar will be really happy in 10 years.
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1998 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This is in a great place right now. Nose of sour cherry, black currants, mint, tobacco, cedar. On the palate cherry, currant, tobacco, cedar, spice, mint. Finishes with some tannic grip. Great drink.
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2009 Zepaltas Pinot Noir Suacci 94 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
My personal WOTN. Nice nose of sour cherry, rhubarb, cranberry, black tea, mushroom spice, rose petals. On the palate, sour cherry, red raspberry, black cherry cola, orange peel, spice, mushroom. Finishes clean with a nice sappy transition. Everything you would want in a Pinot.
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2006 Faiveley Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Nose of flowers, mineral, red and black berries. On the palate, sour cherry, black tea, mushroom, spice, roasted game, black raspberry. Silky mouthfeel with a long finish and tannic grip. Would have liked more time with it, I think it would have filled in more with some air. Still great stuff. Not scored. Gut impression 92-93.
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2006 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Impressive nose. Definitely some Southern Rhone funk mixed with black raspberry, roasted meats, leather, black cherry, anise, sage, and black olive. On the palate, raspberry, black cherry, leather, melted black licorice, pepper, roasted meat, herbs. Still at little tight on the finish. 92 for now with some good upside.
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1998 Quintessa 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Classic nose of plum, cigar box, spice, black fruit, red berries, Rutherford dust. On the palate, red currants, red plums, tobacco, herbs, spice, cedar. Finishes with completely resolved tannins, not quite as good as the last bottle, I would be drinking these if I had them.
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2003 Fattoria Galardi Terra di Lavoro
Italy, Campania, Roccamonfina IGT
Tasted at a wine dinner. Slow-O'ed for seven hours. Very shy on the nose, cherries, leather, hints of blue and black fruits. A bit musty, but a couple of swirls and that aroma blew away. Everything on the palate is walled off by tannins. This wine is shut down and appears to need a lot of time to come around which is typical for Aglianico. Give this another 10 years if you have them. Impossible to score at this time. Gut impression anywhere from 92-95.
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2008 Lillian Winery Syrah
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Jose the baby killer strikes again. Still, glad to evaluate this while mine age :-D. Great nose, gobs of blue and black fruit, olive, black pepper, hint of gaminess/funk. On the palate, blackberry, olive, blueberry, raspberry, smoked meat, cracked pepper. Finishes with substantial grip. Too young to evaluate. Gut impression 93-95. Fantastic stuff.
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2006 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
One of the things I love about offlines is that you get a shot at producers you have never tried. Great nose on this cab with classic black fruit, hints of mint, and pencil lead. On the palate, black currants, black berry, mint, cedar. Long finish with lots of tannic grip. Great cab with a very bright future. This will be tremendous with another ten years on it.
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1998 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Like the 98 Forman and the 98 Quintessa that preceeded it, this wine does a lot to show that 98 was better than the critics said. Nice aromas of blackberry, sour cherry, mint, and tobacco. On the palate, red currant, cherry, mint, tobacco, hints of spice. Nice finish. Drink this now if you have them.
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2001 Pio Cesare Barolo 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Medium ruby color. Nose of sour cherry, blackberry, tar, rose petal, mineral. On the palate, sour cherry, tar, mineral, black raspberry. Long finish with substantial grip. Still need another five years or so to allow the tannins to recede. Great now with food.
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