2006 Retrospective

A fascinating chance to check in on a wide variety of wines from a somewhat challenging vintage in many places.

The Dauvissat ruled. In addition, we enjoyed three Rieslings served blind, but I didn’t focus on these.

• 2006 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Defying the odds, this bottle showed superbly at 13 years of age. It also defied expectations, insofar as maturity took this bottle closer to Beaune than Chablis. Rather than flint, steel, saline and minerality, we found a mature Burgundy of the Côte d’Or variety, with a savory, creamy texture and a hazelnut dominated palate, with touches of light citrus and marzipan. A real treat, and my white WOTN.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Badly (and sadly) advanced, shame on me for being disappointed rather than expecting it at this point...

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Copain Roussanne James Berry Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Fresh and energetic, with a neat combo of lanolin and anise notes alongside some honeyed apple and ginger. At this age, the acidity is outweighed by the fruit, making it a touch flabby. An easy drinker with lots of life left, if lacking in the complexity department.

  Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Tercero Grenache Blanc Camp 4 Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  Fresh and showing plenty of energy, with a petrol-dominated, slightly floral nose (it was served bling alongside some Rieslings) and honeyed pears on the palate. Good tension.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

I found it interesting that all of these seemed youthful, yet lacked anything special to spark one’s interest either.

• 2006 Babcock Pinot Noir Ocean's Ghost Babcock Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Plenty of life, but also plenty of oak. Decent typicity, straightforward and lacking in structure. Dark cherry notes, not much nuance.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 84 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  My second encounter with this wine, and the prior tasting (from a 375) was much more enjoyable. Flabby and undistinguished, with a clashing array of flavors: smoke, cherry cola and leather.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Outperformed the KB Russian River of the same vintage, with an enjoyable mix of strawberry and framboise notes. Nothing memorable though...

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Three radically differing expressions of the varietal.

• 2006 Kenneth-Crawford Grenache Larner Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  A tremendous showing, at peak but with years of life left. A weightier expression of the varietal, with dark cherry notes and a spice backbone that energized the wine. Fine tannins. Expansive finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Sine Qua Non Grenache Raven Series 89 Points

  USA, California

  Slow-ox’ed for six hours. The last, and least interesting, of my stash. Monolithic, dense and unyielding, with no typicity. A decant would have helped, but would not have transformed it I’m sure. Smoke, mocha, some candied fruit, but all subordinated to a density that made this a difficult wine to enjoy.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Argiolas Turriga Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 93 Points

  Italy, Sardinia, Isola dei Nuraghi IGT

  My first of the vintage. Not a very representative Turriga, but super-interesting in its own right, and delicious. Nose of herbs and mild menthol. More of the same on the palate, chewy and spice-driven. Additional notes of sage, rosemary and cherry. Very long, expansive finish. Real upside from here.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

A killer flight. The Beaucastel stood out above the rest, though.

• 2006 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Part of a killer CdP flight, which didn’t serve this wine well in that the others outperformed. Good typicity, with tart red fruit, some smokiness and game. Somewhat lightweight, and dried out on the finish.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Very impressive. Blue fruit, lavender and fennel. Sweet but not sappy.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  My first of these in more than five years. This bottle was just singing. Floral notes and bright red fruit, some leather and charred meats, delineated and perfectly balanced. Explosive finish, which bodes well for the future.

  Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Perhaps we were too deep into an ambitious night to appreciate these, and none distinguished themselves, save for the AMV, but that had the benefit of nearly 24 hours to open up. I wouldn’t have thought all of these Cali Syrah would remain this youthful after thirteen years.

• 2006 Carlisle Syrah Russian River Valley 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Dense, monolithic and a bit lifeless. Notes of kirsch and mocha. Surely not still developing at this age, so an unsatisfying wine for me.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Pax Syrah Nellessen Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

  Evident oak and heat, each somewhat at odds with most CT notes. Some interesting spice and smoke going on, and good lift, but presented itself as one-dimensional.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Disappointingly simple, with loads of oak and no distinction of note. Maybe a better early drinker, but not much of interest going on here.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Jonata Winery La Sangre de Jonata Flawed

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  A wine I’ve loved in the past, but this bottle bore no resemblance. Whereas before I found freshness and power, with layers of texture dark fruit, tonight the wine was dense and impenetrable. I can’t imagine even a lengthy decant would have changed it so I’ll call it flawed. No rating for this one in any case.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Andrew Murray Syrah Thompson Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Popped and poured. Somewhat elusive on night one: green pepper, some sweet oak, a touch of garrique. Really came into balance on the next day, with more black than green pepper, less pronounced oak and a sort of candied fig aspect I quite liked.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Agharta Wines Exhibit B 88 Points

  USA, California, North Coast

  Showed significant heat, enough to distract from the wine. Not something I’d seek out.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Others liked this more than I did. I found the oak too dominant. Rich plum and fig notes, overly ripe, a clumsy sort of richness. Let’s call it a fine steakhouse wine...

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Very few clunkers, and surprisingly few wines past (or even at) peak. Cheers to our friend for organizing such an enjoyable evening.