California tasting with the "No Name" wine club in Copenhagen.

Kenneths place
Tasted Friday, April 24, 2009 by canan with 721 views

Introduction

An amazing tasting where Kenneth really showed everybody what California could produce with a stunning array of huge wines.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2004 André Clouet Champagne Brut Millésimé

    France, Champagne

    The nose seems restrictive but has some mushroom hints and also a little yeast and salt water.
    Flavours of salt is also consistent on the palate but it is mixed nicely with yeast and brioche. A vibrant acidity surrounds the flavours nicely and the long taste ends with a little seaweed.
    Quite nice..

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2006 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel

    USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

    Nose: Big and heavy with a lot of wood. Some butter and hazelnut but mostly pineapple.
    Palate: Very full and again a lot of wood notes and also a lot of liquorice. It seems "heavy" and the alcohol is burning through the flavours. Some saltyness is also present.
    Currently it seems a little unbalanced.

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  • 2006 J. Rochioli Chardonnay Rachael's Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    Nose: exotic fruit (mostly passionfruit), cream and caramel. Minor hints of wood but not in any overpowering way.
    Palate: Very woody with a little liquorice but a long aftertaste. Very well done and does not seem overdone. Great style.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

Perhaps the best flight of the night?

  • 2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Almost neon-lime color and very cloudy.
    Nose: Lemon, sweet melon and butter.
    Palate: Lemon and lime with pineapple and a little vanilla. A very good acidity blends nicely with the flavours. Long aftertaste.
    A very good wine and a pleasure to taste.

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  • 2004 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Wow.. Was very impressed with this wine.
    Basically it seems overdone and to powerful but it is still in its own type of balance. Complex flavours and a wine that just keeps building in the nose and mouth.
    I simply adore the butter in this wine!!
    HUGE wine but a wine that some would love to hate :-)

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Flight 4 (1 Note)

  • 2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten

    USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

    Nose: Fresh raspberry, black currant bush, candy and sweetness.
    Palate: Very fresh raspberry with a decent acidity and tannin but it ends a little alcoholic. Good structure with a little bitterness at the end but a great balance. The fruit seems a little too delicate and it does not have a substantial length.

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

Flight 6 (2 Notes)

  • 2006 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Nose: sweet blackberry, buttermilk and ripe banana.
    Palate: Wild and very primary fruit of black currant and blackberries. A lot of black and green pepper. Extremely overdone but the alcohol was to much for me in this wine.
    A lot of the others really enjoyed this but to me I could not get past the alcohol (and I am not squemish).

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  • 2004 Scholium Project Scheria Hudson Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Nose: candy like black currant, hints of green bush and varnish with sprinkles of coffee and smoke.
    Palate: Hugely intense fruit, black currant, black berries. Huge acidity with a wild and somewhat vibrant tannin.
    A HUGE wine.

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Flight 7 (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Melville Syrah Estate Donna's

    USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

    Nose: Yoghurt, barnyard, gooseberries, pee, roses and lavender.. What a combination :-)
    Palate: Creamy and rounded plum fruit with a little coffee. Does lack a little acidity to maintain the balance but overall a nice wine. The alcohol is clearly present but is currently not owerpowering the flavours.

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  • 2005 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard

    USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

    Nose: A little funky.. Dusty, tomatoplant and juice with asparagus and green peas.
    Palate: Extremely intense dark plum fruit laced with cloves. Insane acidity and tannin.
    A brutal wine with a an insane tannin structure but I simply adored this. Amazing wine that should be interesting to follow.

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Flight 8 (1 Note)

What an amazing treat to taste this rare wine!!

  • 2004 Forsythe Vineyard (Alban) Mourvèdre The Mason

    USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

    Nose: Black currant with a little floral note to it. A little barnyard. The fruit seems extremely compact and dense.
    Palate: Wow.. Extremely compact and concentrated blackberry fruit with and off the charts acidity that burns so much that it almost hurts, but in a good way :-)
    A wild wine that is still quite balanced with a good level of minerals that blends nicely into the wine!
    Simply a WOW wine.

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Flight 9 (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Ampelos Grenache Delta Byron Vineyard

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

    Nose: Black pepper with hints of vanilla. Blackberry fruit and the alcohol is also coming through.
    Palate: Creamy with hints of minerals. Huge tannins and good acidity with the alcohol coming through a bit to much. Slightly oxidated aftertaste.
    Actually an ok wine but the wine was kind of weak but very drinkable due to the good acidity.

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  • 2006 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard

    USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

    Nose: Tomatoplant, gunpowder. Very concentrated fruit.
    Palate: Very concentrated fruit with a wild acidity and a very long aftertaste.
    An amazing wine.

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Flight 10 (2 Notes)

  • 2001 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Nose: Seawater, salt, seaweed, black currant bush and even blueberries.
    Palate: Big and compact blueberry fruit with a little iron and pencil shavings.
    Huge length with wild tannins.
    Simply, a huge wine, in every sense!! A pleasure to enjoy.

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  • 1998 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Nose: Pine, resin, meat, chocolate, vanilla and graphite.
    Palate: Pencil shavings, coffee and green pepper. A little bit dusty with a hint of cedar.
    Very Bdx like.
    Enjoyed this a lot.

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