Smith & Wollensky (48th & 3rd Ave)
Tasted Saturday, January 30, 2016 by MC2 Wines with 596 views
The first Zachys auction of the year. We unfortunately were only able to join for the morning and early afternoon before taking off, but still fun times were had. Great wines and nice company. Unfortunately didn't have as much success on the wine purchasing side, but that was ok. The Schrader lots really went off and were interesting to watch, but not really in the price range we'd like to have contemplated and unfortunately that seemed to translate to some of the other areas we were interested in (Unico, Salon, etc.).
Lots of wonderful wines tasted today. I think the '04 Colgin could have been my WOTD although hard with the '75 Grange which had a nose that I could have spent forever with. Fun times. Looking forward to future auctions.
2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Second time with this wine in 3 days and only writing a note because it was a different event so going into a different tasting story. I was very interested to go back to this one mostly because the time before it was the one wine where I didn't have quite as favorable feedback in my notes and I wondered if maybe it was palette fatigue or something else. Starting with it, I think I'm still in the same place. Not my favorite of the Schraders. A bit too much alcohol and just not quite as much going on here. Would be interesting to see if it just needs some more years, but right now coming across as more one-dimensional and hot.
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2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley
My favorite in the four bottle Schrader line-up that Zachys was pouring. This still feels very young, but there's some nice potential to it and it really rewards you with just giving it a bit of time in the glass. More herbal and spicy than the To-Kalon before it, it's interesting because it feels a bit less fruity than some of the others and a bit more well-rounded. I enjoyed and am still glad that we have one of these from our 4-pack.
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2005 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Nice to try this earlier in the day (it was the last wine two nights ago and so palette fatigue and general fatigue had certainly set in). I'm amazed at how open and expressive and bright and yet relatively young tasting it is. Decent tannic backbone that still holds the wine together. Strong and deep in the red fruit. Happy camper drinking this (would have been nice with the steak served, but didn't quite last that long).
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2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Very fun to try this back-to-back with the 2005. This is still much earlier in its evolution. Brambles and leaves and blackberries. Suspect it will be quite nice and evolve well, but it's not really yet open or ready for business. Surprising because the tasting we had a few nights ago I was mostly only getting the red fruits in the Schraders, but this was definitely an exception.
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1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
France, Champagne
There was something just a touch off when we first opened the bottle. Maybe a touch more sour and acidic than it should have been (my memories of this wine are of pure soft cashmere bubbles a bit more on the fruit and a bit less on the toast which can be a satisfying). This time even when the mustiness blew off it was still a bit more toasty than I remember. The bubbles were very soft and almost barely perceptible. The wine was good. Not as great as the last time, but I preferred it to a nice Rose Champagne that was served later (Armand de Brignac).
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1997 Bedell Merlot Reserve
USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork
For a red wine from Long Island, this wasn't bad. It was much more alive almost 20 years later than I would have expected. Probably heading towards the end of life, but fruit still prevalent and if I'd drunk it blind I'd have put it more like 2008 or 2009.
That being said, I don't really like Long Island reds. I don't think the climate works for the grapes and while this was better than some, it wasn't my cup of tea. There's that kindof chemical-y taste that sometimes comes in wines that isn't a flaw but just part of the taste. This had that. Interesting to try once, wouldn't seek out again.
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NV Armand de Brignac Champagne Ace of Spades Rosé
France, Champagne
Possibly possibly the most overpriced wine I have ever tried in my life. I am ok with wines that are expensive and really stunning and an experience. I am not ok with wines that are expensive and don't provide the 'wow'. As a previous taster mentioned, I have had better Roses at $50. This was a newer release - made of 20% 2008, 20% 2009 and 60% 2011 vintages. At the end they put a bit of Pinot Noir from 50-60 year old vines to add a bit more depth of character. The wine pretty much tastes like a standard rose champagne. There are better - the Jacques Selosse, Krug, and Veuve LGD Roses come to mind. There are worse - the Moet Rose comes to mind. For the price, I'd rather have 2 Krugs, 1.5 Salons (ok, not a Rose, but a stunning champagne worthy of this price point), 1.5 Jacques Selosse Roses, 7 Vilmart Cuvee de Cie.... Well, I think I've made my point. The rating of I don't like it is tied more to QPR than the wine itself which is fine, but nothing memorable.
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1996 Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
What a spectacular year for champagne 1996 was. There's all of this nuance to the wines from that vintage that make it just a bit better than others. This one was toasty and spicy (I think it's the spice in the vintage that adds interest for me) and in a very nice window. Enjoyed more than the Armand de Brignac Rose and a bit less than the '90 LGD, but enjoyed all the same.
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2008 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fumé de Pouilly
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
It's been awhile since I've had an Pouilly Fume, but it's certainly pretty good for a white region. Crisp, good acidity, subtle flavors of fern or green - but in a softer way. There's a touch of seawater maybe at the end, a bit salty. Overall enjoyed and could see working for the summer afternoon or the right lighter seafood dish.
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2013 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
I am not a Chardonnay drinker in general and this was just a bit too much of a 'real' Chardonnay for me. Others I believe enjoyed it.
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2000 Château Magdelaine
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Nice Bordeaux from a great vintage. Got the feeling it could have used a decant as there was quite a bit of evolution in the glass. Get some cinnamon and woodsy notes. Low on the fruit. Perhaps early in the lifecycle.
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2000 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
I think we might have killed a baby. This wine is deep and earthy and just a touch tight right now. Very enjoyable.
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2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
This is a beautiful wine and definitely needs another 10 or so years to really grow into itself. The fruit is just a bit more overly powerful right now - both red and black currant. There's some nice black pepper. Was tasty enough that I considered bidding on some HSS lots during the auction although none hit the right price point. Glad we've maintained our allocation, but have most enjoyed this around 20 years of age so have some waiting to do for the ones in our cellar.
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1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia
USA, California, Napa Valley
I think some 1997s haven't quite lived up to the hype, but this was delicious and in exactly the right spot. Excellent bright red cherries and soft and approachable and just generally drinking well.
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1990 Château Haut-Marbuzet
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Feels young for a 1990. Very dark red fruits, very approachable, in the right drinking space, but lacking some of that 'aged wine' flavor that I would have expected.
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1994 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Opened and poured. Started just a touch more closed down and musty, but it opened up over time. Not the same 'wow' that we had a last summer, but still a very nice, well aged wine that is more herbal and leather and lower fruit, but enjoyable.
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2009 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Having now spent some time with Old Sparky over the last two days, I'm understanding the obsession. This wine was delicious. Straight up blackberries and black currant and brambles and just beautiful. Very good with the red meat.
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1975 Penfolds Grange
Australia, South Australia
So this starts a bit musty and dies somewhat quickly, but if you get it right in the middle it's pretty good. Not the best Grange I've ever had, but even a medium level Grange is a pretty awesome wine. Ever evolving, lots of spices, leather, and wow is that nose something. I could smell this forever.
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2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
This was my favorite wine of the Schrader dinner two nights ago and it is really very nice. It's a baby wine though and this was a pop and pour (not sure if Thursday had a bit more air). Tannins hold it all together, red cassis, just a touch on the tight. Would have considered getting some of this, but auction prices went on the very high side.
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2012 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
This is definitely a good wine. It's not the Old Sparky which we had right before, but enjoyable. Perhaps for me a bit too much of the 'prototypical' Napa cabernet where the fruit overly dominates, but I can still appreciate what the winemaker did with this.
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2004 Colgin IX Estate
USA, California, Napa Valley
Hello my lovely. Quite possibly my WOTD which is saying something given the very tough competition. This went into the glass for a few hours before we really spent any time with it. Wanted to give it the opportunity to open up since I think some of these are better with the 20 years of age. Even at 12, this is a baby. Very impressive, major spice cabinet, blackberry. Ever evolving even in it's 4th hour in the glass. Wonderful.
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