San Diego Mini Offline

Jan Brekke coming to town was the spark that set the wheels of this in motion. People came from all over including the OC, DC and Arizona to get down at the Wine Vault for some great wines and lots of laughs. Otto's choice was excellent. We enjoyed a several course meal which by itself was $30 and was of the quality that could have commanded much more. Too many wines all of which seemed to be drained. Somebody left there feeling more than tipsy.
My favorites were the 96 Beringer Chabot Vineyard Cab and the 83 Dominus. Both were outstanding and complete. Other favorites were the 95 Giacosa, the 97 Insignia, 97 Viader and 82 Montrose.

• 1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut

  France, Champagne

  Tight and wrapped up. There is some depth apparent but mostly this was about narrow appley expression even after sitting in the glass for quite some time.

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• 1983 Dominus Estate

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Terrific nose of a beautifully aged Cab with a nice cedar foundation. Plenty of fruit here still after a few minutes of air lets the richness shine. I've had some excellent older Cabs recently and this is right there. At peak and not going anywhere soon. Outstanding.

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• 2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Decanted ~3 prior to consumption and returned to bottle. Lots of fruit here without being over ripe, too sweet or overly oaky. Nose is most reminiscent of of Sonoma Coast Pinot showing some pine resin type notes among it's dark berry fruit. Lots of pretty substantial red fruits on the palate though in balance. This will appeal to a great many audiences right now with its generous fruit at the moment but clearly has the legs to go for a long time and be a subtle wine.

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• 1997 Viader

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Served bagged. Very rich mint chocolate palate though not in a heavy oaked Merlot way. Nose had a slightly green cedar character. Substantial fruit while well balanced. Plenty of guess from all over and mine was a Heitz Martha's. Well...I got the state right. Very good wine.

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• 1982 Château Montrose

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Expressive complex nose though somewhat subdued. Still plenty rich and fleshy though the palate doesn't really seem to have a much to say. The nose really picks up with time in the glass adding some real nice coffee and cedar in a beautiful way. Overall was still out classed but a few of the Cal Cabs on the table that night.

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• 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Nose shows some ripeness as well as some signs of vanilla oak. A big fat wine of concentrated berry sauce. Still plenty of tannin here. A very hedonistic wine right now and well done for the style. Not sure the kind of path this style of wine will take to maturity but will please many right now.

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• 2001 Château Monbousquet

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Surprising nose of roasted meats and smoked fish. Palate was on the sift side and not very expressive. Didn't seem flawed but not sure what to make of it none the less. I will say that I was expecting the huge oaky nose similar to the 03 I opened last month so the nose on this was actually a nice surprise.

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• 1995 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose is nailed shut even with lots of swirling and sitting in the glass for an hour. Expressive palate with some evident sweetness. Very pretty with a clean finish. Most of the expression came from the mid palate right now though. Come back in a few years.

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• 2005 Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Lots of green veggies on the nose, maybe dill American Oak? More green notes among a sweet palate showing some oak. Well balanced but touch to know what to make of this. Heavy and fleshy with the green notes doesn't really speak of say lean Cab Franc from France but more of a wine with uneven ripeness. No clue on this one.

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• 2004 Bressler Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Nose is on the tight side with notes of oak I would guess is American. Straight forward sweet oaky Cab with little expression beyond just that. Bland.

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• 1996 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Powerful nose of eucalyptus and cedar. Excellent balance yet fills the palate with flavor without being 'big'. Nice citrus notes intermingled bring extra life. A big surprise from an relatively unknown vineyard. Outstanding wine.

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• 2004 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

  Served blind. Stewey nose. Soft palate with plenty of vanilla oak. What people won't do to Cab these days.

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• 1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, Washington

  Obvious heat and another that seemed to speak of American oak with some dill notes. Easy going palate with more heat. The alcohol was hard to get past.

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• 2003 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Slight petrol on the nose with some lime. Exciting palate with the sugar not heavy or intrusive. Very nice and screaming for Asian food.

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• 2006 Delectus Merlot

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Green nose showing overt oak. Broken, disjointed, tart and hot.

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• 1999 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Sharp nose showing dark chocolate, espresso and graham crackers. Ripe with a tart finish. Somewhat disjointed. Inexpressive and bland overall.

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