Lunch At The Office

No theme this time as we came together to help CFu celebrate his recent graduation and help him prepare for his Bar exam studies going on nearby. Got some sandwiches from The Hat across the street and tore into some bottles. A nice way to break up the day and week as always.

A nice collection of wines overall. If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be the Hawks Butte for its Cote Rotie like characters and its potential but that's a slim wine. CFu's declassified Cab find was a surprise also and both he and Leslie said it wasn't drinking as well as the last go around! Served blind I thought it was a big time Cult like Cal Cab.

• 1997 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc

  Served blind. Funky odd nose and palate. Seems to be aged. Grassy notes on the finish. Austere and very lean. Guessed Bordeaux Blanc.

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

• NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Ho hum another nice experience with this wine. Strong bread aromas. Expressive complex big palate. I love the richness and notes of red fruits on this.

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

• 1998 Sean Thackrey Orion Rossi Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Big heavy nose showing some motor oil and a good does of VA. Some rustic notes peek through giving it some interest and a bit of green pepper later on. Palate is fairly straight forward rich fruit. It leans out a bit later on getting a somewhat zin like note but also some growing VA. The Thackrey wines have been a real bottle to bottle adventure for me with some highs and lows.

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

• 1999 Mauro Sebaste Barolo Prapò

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This had a complex changing and moving nose. At the first of every pour a earthy mushroomy funk was present strongly but this would yield to some perfumed flowery notes and add some tarred rocks later on. Rich and dense palate for a Barolo with a bit of funk sticking around. The mid palate evens out with air and the wine gets more classically lean. I think it's best days are ahead of it.

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

• 2005 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands

  Nose of tar, meat and lava rocks something similar to a Cote Rotie but maybe with brighter fruit. Tight and tart initially it picks up complexity with air. Shows nice balance with good acidity across a lean finish behind raspberry fruits. Very good wine with a great future ahead of it.

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

• 2006 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Decanted about 5 hours prior to consumption. Fat berry sauce with a touch of vanilla. Plenty of tannin still rich round fruit that may need some more time to lay back a bit as the acidity is almost over whelmed at this point. Lot's of fruit here and is a big yummy wine right now that lingers on the palate showing lots of length. The clean natural acidity and emerging complexity sell it for me.

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

• 2005 Dayton Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Served blind after an overnight decant. Charred coffee and dark chocolate nose adding some herbs later on. Surprisingly balanced palate after what I expected on the nose. Some more char and good tannin. Drinks WAY WAY over it's price point. I thought it was some sort of big name Cali cult style Cab. Apparently its some declassified fruit of mysterious unknown origins. Not my favorite style but for $10-15, who could argue? Terrific find.

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