Important Update From the Founder
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Inventory Reduction Event
Tasted May 23, 2013 by swapdoc with 359 views
Introduction
A magnificent opportunity to enjoy some old and new world wines, good food, and a terrific company -- all courtesy of a generous friend (and a connoisseur of living to the fullest). I found some marquis California names to be just too oaky and unharmonious, while others and some European wines were truly exceptional. Thank you Chris!
Flight 1 - Excellent/Very Good (4 notes)
Red
2004 Jean-Michel Gerin Côte-Rôtie
Aromas of animal skin -- quite different from other wines tonight. The wine has a wonderful sweet and dense core -- dark cherries, a bit of menthol. Secondary flavors of sour wild berries accentuate the solid sweet base. Drinking perfectly now. Excellent.
Red
2004 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Big'd Big
A wonderful, expansive aroma or roses, cranberries. A bit cloudy, sweet, extracted wine, vibrant and exciting. Some tertiary aromas apparent already, the wine is very enjoyable now though it is still evolving and somewhat tannic. The overall feel is of a luxurious, rich and complex wine. Excellent.
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Comment
Red
2000 Château Quinault L'Enclos
A classic, classic cedar, lead pencil nose. Elegant and effusive wine, bit earthy -- not a fruit driven wine, but very classy. Still coming together and should improve. Very good.
Red
2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia
A focused, tight and at the same time balanced wine with a strong underlying dark fruit. Still tannic and evolving, this was still the best California wine of the evening. Pretty nose, down playing ubiquitous oaky vanilla. Very good.
Flight 2 - Good (3 notes)
Red
2005 Piña Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon D'Adamo Vineyard
Initially opens with a dollop of vanilla, but then the wine brings on inky, extracted dark fruit with hints of volcanic soil and wild berries. The wine is bold and energetic and is never flabby or overly sweet. The fruit profile hints of northern Italy. Very good.
Red
2001 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Private Selection Central Coast
Not showing much oak -- and that is a big improvement in my book. The fruit is balanced, sweet, but has a tinge of green pepper that I did particularly found appealing. A solid effort; at the same time, this wine did not have the magic that would have made me want more.
Red
2004 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino
The fruit has a sour cranberry flavors, framed by aromas of meaty mushrooms and underbrush -- all set against a raisiny fruit background. The wine is sill youthful and tannic, and should benefit from cellaring. Prefer a fruit driven wine to a raisiny, oxidized profile.
Flight 3 - Notable (just not my style) (4 notes)
Red
2004 Tenuta Fanti Brunello di Montalcino
Usually a fan of souther exposure Brunelli, I found this bottle just too odd. The creamy, oaky nose was simply off-putting. The dark, stewed fruit based palate felt manufactured, disjointed and lacked character -- found it simply bland. Below average.
Red
2003 Dominus Estate
For fans of oaky cabs -- I'm not on of them. Very strong oak and creamy vanilla on the nose. The wine itself just felt concocted, overly sweet at the expense of balance and just tasted as a cheap blend that one can find at a corner convenience store. This is obviously not a style of wine making that appeals to me.
Red
2006 Martinelli Pinot Noir Lolita Ranch
A bit of oak on the nose - unusual for pinot - followed in the mouth by fleshy, forward, cranberry juice dominated palate. A forward wine -- there is little minerality and structure to it -- with almost no vibrancy or mid section. The tension between tannic and sweet, mineral and fleshy is skewed toward forward and sweet. Not my idea of an enjoyable pinot.
Red
2006 Neiman Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Did not like a distinct bitter aftertaste reminiscent of almond skins. The wine finished with an aftertaste of green bell pepper and peppercorn.