14% ABV – Sangiovese, assumed 100% - tasted on 08/06/09 One of two wines tasted this day at GWT #8, along with a barrel tasting of 2008 Chateau MF Sangiovese. This bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into a decanter, with an herbal/medicinal nose blowing off after approx 45min, revealing a muted fruit and slightly astringent aroma. Upon initial tasting, the herbal nose was matched with a tart and green stem overtone on the palate. In the glass, the color was a very inviting reddish-amber. At 90min, the fruit kicked in with the tartness moderating. Notes of nutmeg and almost a warm, cherry sweetness came through and by 2hrs, a rich full body and layered finish was in full swing. Too bad the bottle didn’t last much beyond the 2-1/2hr mark. A solid wine showing good complexity and an obvious talent by the vintner. Bought at the winery the week prior, this wine has legs for several more years. A solid effort and safe at 85.
FOR CLARIFICATION: Since I've observed that most (not all) cellartracker.com users tend to overate wines, the following 100-point rating scale was used for this bottle's numerical rating.
Extraordinary (96-100 points) Outstanding (90-95) Very Good to Excellent (85-89) Good (80-84) Average (75-79) Below average (70-74) Avoid (50-70)
Moreover, I agree with Robert Parker's assessment on numerical rating of wines as follows: "It is also vital to consider the description of the wine's style, personality and potential. No scoring system is perfect, but a system that provides for flexibility in scores, if applied by the same taster without prejudice, can quantify different levels of wine quality and provide the reader with a taster's judgment. However, there can never be any substitute for your own palate nor any better education than tasting the wine yourself."
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13% ABV - Zinfandel, assumed 100% - tasted on 06/20/09 One of two bottles tasted this day and a real treat at almost 27yrs from the vine – bottle 8865 of 9408. This bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into a decanter, with the initial nose exhibiting an earthy, mushroom overtone which blew off in about 30min to reveal a slight but pleasant robust vinegar scent. In the glass, a vibrant brownish-red tone evidenced what I’m coming to find is the typical coloration for a quality 20yr+ California zinfandel. Initially, some minerality on the palate, moving to a somewhat muted berry overtone with a tart mid-finish. At 1hr, some hints of sweetness similar to balsamic vinegar, a bit of raisin and a silky mouth feel. At 2hrs, several tasters commented on the change to a fruit compote-like nose with some of the sweetness picking up a bit on the palate; quite an interesting occurrence. The cork pulled out solid and showed only a third infiltration, with some clear crystals interspersed throughout the predominant inky-purple ones forming a lunar-type landscape on the cork bottom. Another grand performance by a well-aged Zin approaching striking complexity, let’s call it 87 and be a point or two on the conservative side.
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12.5% ABV – Tannat, 100% assumed - tasted on 06/18/09 at GWT #7 One of two wines tasted on this night and the first time for the Tannat grape for the group; highly anticipated. A powerful reddish-purple tone, this bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into the glass. Earthy aroma and moderate to muted fruit, with a high alcohol overtone to start. Certainly the Tannat grape’s tannic reputation is well deserved, with a dry vegetal mid-finish. At 1hr, hints of vinegar in the nose with some of the heat dissipating. Quite an enjoyable first experience of this grape, although this either isn’t an overly complex example of Tannat in the bottle or its youthful zeal requires aging to develop the characteristic balance often noted of this grape. Since the group’s considered overall opinion was good (range of 80-84), settle on 82. Would be interested to taste this in 4-5yrs and note the changes.
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2004 La Nebbia Sangiovese
8/6/2009 - Karmapa wrote: 85 Points
14% ABV – Sangiovese, assumed 100% - tasted on 08/06/09
One of two wines tasted this day at GWT #8, along with a barrel tasting of 2008 Chateau MF Sangiovese.
This bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into a decanter, with an herbal/medicinal nose blowing off after approx 45min, revealing a muted fruit and slightly astringent aroma. Upon initial tasting, the herbal nose was matched with a tart and green stem overtone on the palate. In the glass, the color was a very inviting reddish-amber. At 90min, the fruit kicked in with the tartness moderating. Notes of nutmeg and almost a warm, cherry sweetness came through and by 2hrs, a rich full body and layered finish was in full swing. Too bad the bottle didn’t last much beyond the 2-1/2hr mark.
A solid wine showing good complexity and an obvious talent by the vintner. Bought at the winery the week prior, this wine has legs for several more years. A solid effort and safe at 85.
FOR CLARIFICATION: Since I've observed that most (not all) cellartracker.com users tend to overate wines, the following 100-point rating scale was used for this bottle's numerical rating.
Extraordinary (96-100 points)
Outstanding (90-95)
Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
Good (80-84)
Average (75-79)
Below average (70-74)
Avoid (50-70)
Moreover, I agree with Robert Parker's assessment on numerical rating of wines as follows: "It is also vital to consider the description of the wine's style, personality and potential. No scoring system is perfect, but a system that provides for flexibility in scores, if applied by the same taster without prejudice, can quantify different levels of wine quality and provide the reader with a taster's judgment. However, there can never be any substitute for your own palate nor any better education than tasting the wine yourself."
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1982 V. Sattui Winery Zinfandel
6/20/2009 - Karmapa wrote: 87 Points
13% ABV - Zinfandel, assumed 100% - tasted on 06/20/09
One of two bottles tasted this day and a real treat at almost 27yrs from the vine – bottle 8865 of 9408.
This bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into a decanter, with the initial nose exhibiting an earthy, mushroom overtone which blew off in about 30min to reveal a slight but pleasant robust vinegar scent. In the glass, a vibrant brownish-red tone evidenced what I’m coming to find is the typical coloration for a quality 20yr+ California zinfandel. Initially, some minerality on the palate, moving to a somewhat muted berry overtone with a tart mid-finish. At 1hr, some hints of sweetness similar to balsamic vinegar, a bit of raisin and a silky mouth feel. At 2hrs, several tasters commented on the change to a fruit compote-like nose with some of the sweetness picking up a bit on the palate; quite an interesting occurrence. The cork pulled out solid and showed only a third infiltration, with some clear crystals interspersed throughout the predominant inky-purple ones forming a lunar-type landscape on the cork bottom.
Another grand performance by a well-aged Zin approaching striking complexity, let’s call it 87 and be a point or two on the conservative side.
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2007 Don Pascual Tannat
6/18/2009 - Karmapa wrote: 82 Points
12.5% ABV – Tannat, 100% assumed - tasted on 06/18/09 at GWT #7
One of two wines tasted on this night and the first time for the Tannat grape for the group; highly anticipated.
A powerful reddish-purple tone, this bottle was opened and aerated with a Vinturi into the glass. Earthy aroma and moderate to muted fruit, with a high alcohol overtone to start. Certainly the Tannat grape’s tannic reputation is well deserved, with a dry vegetal mid-finish. At 1hr, hints of vinegar in the nose with some of the heat dissipating.
Quite an enjoyable first experience of this grape, although this either isn’t an overly complex example of Tannat in the bottle or its youthful zeal requires aging to develop the characteristic balance often noted of this grape.
Since the group’s considered overall opinion was good (range of 80-84), settle on 82. Would be interested to taste this in 4-5yrs and note the changes.
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