Sampling of 1er Cru White Burgs and Cali Cabs

Rainy, cold Saturday night. An ideal occasion to crack open some well regarded wines.

These two White Burgundies are similarly situated in the vineyard, separated by several hundred yards. They are close in price, so we figured it would be an interesting comparison. I expected more oak from the Bouchard, but it was exceptionally delicate. The Boillot evidence more oak and was in your face. Two very good wines. The Boillot may eventually evolve into something more, but right now the Bouchard is a classier wine.

• 2005 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Deeper yellow color. Intense nose of pineapple, burnt sugar, raw cut wood with some mild citrus zest. Nice weight. Lighter and more delicate on the palate then I would have anticipated after the heavy nose. Floral, green apply with tangy lemonade. Good finish, but not particularly long.

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• 2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Exceptionally elegant and right up my alley. Light pale color. Sharp key lime on the nose, loaded with minerals. Very subtle, if any, oak. This is clean sharp and focused on the palate. Good acidity. Nice citrus. Crescendo finish that goes on for a good long time. Quite an interest comparison to the 05 Boillot PM Perrieres, which showed a lot more wood and was more in your face. This was a finesse wine, light and delicate but with very nice complexity. A pleasure to drink right now.

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Interesting comparison here. The Keever is a fine wine, make no mistake. But the Corra is special. Just more of everything with the Corra.

• 2004 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

  Deep dark purple color. Plum, saline, blood, cherry and black fruit on the nose. A nip of heat. After some time in the glass, there was blueberry pancake syrup and chocolate. A bit watery on the attack. Fine tannins, pepper, black fruit. Good structure. High acidity. Good solid finish.

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• 2004 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This is an absolutely exceptional wine. I've only had the 04, but I have the 05 and 06 sitting in the cellar and I can only hope those vintages continue to bring the goods. This is the third time I've had the 04 and it has definitely shown some development. Not as big and overpowering with fruit. Deep red color. Cherry, chocolate, raspberry and gobs of red fruit. Dense with good weight. Rich and coating. Very fine tannins framed by a touch of wood. Exceptional finish that builds and goes on and on.

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We threw in the Cobos after getting these at half price from the PA State Store. I like this, and I think it is probably appropriately priced at $70ish as opposed to the initial release of $130.

• 2004 Viña Cobos Malbec 91 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza

  This is very good, but I'd like the heat to settle down a little bit. Deep reddish purple color. Heat on the nose which gives way to cigar box, chocolate and dark fruit. Dense and concentrated on the palate. Milk chocolate syrup. Really remarkable. Fine tannins, good balanced acidity. A shade of heat on the medium finish. This is unique juice. Concentrated and delicious, but the heat is just a bit too prevalent for me, right now.

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The Kracher #5 is simply excellent, even if it lacks a little complexity. The Bothie was a nice transition to the dessert. It is nice, but nothing special.

• 2004 Torbreck The Bothie 86 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  This is good. Nothing offensive. Gold pale color. Honey, minerals and saline on the nose. Peach, citrus zest and artificial grapefruit on the palate. Not overly sweet. Honeyed moderate finish. This is a good every day dessert wine that is worth the price tag. It is what it is.

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• 2002 Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA #5 Zwischen den Seen 94 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  This is almost painfully sweet, but is very good. Brown sugar, floral and dense. Menthol, peppermint sage and sweet spice on the nose and palate. Smooth and pure. This is an explosion of sweetness on the palate, which blots out the sun in a way, as this does not exhibit a ton of complexity. Mile long finish. Good acidity and balance.

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A good opportunity to check in on some wines. It is always fun to pull some nicer bottles from the cellar on the spur of the moment.