Practice Tasting 1

Time to start studying for June MW exam... will post results of blind tastings as I go.

• 2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 76 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Light color intensity, ruby hue, low to moderate extraction. On the nose the wine has very lifted (VA) fruit that is both dark and red in nature being somewhat non-descript, hints of mint/eukalyptol, some barrique spices but not a ton of new barrique here. On the palate the wine is very cabernet (isn't really on the nose with the cheap volatile fruit note dominating) with mod + acids, a tightish midpalate, and an ok transition into a firm and scratchy tannin finish, moderate ETOH. A bit on the firmish side balance wise, average length at best, ok intensity, low complexity. Wine has some finesse, firmish tannic texture that is a bit out of place for fruit structure, low expression of place. Very average wine.

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• 2006 Stags' Leap Winery Merlot 85 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Color is medium in depth, showing moderate extraction and a ruby rim. On the nose the wine is new barrique dominated with plenty of vanilla, baking spice, liquorice... the fruit is very dark in nature with blackberry, plum. Minimal earth component like the first wine. The palate shows average acidity, a very fleshy and broad midpalate, very ripe and smooth tannins on the finish, moderate + ETOH. Good balance between the intensity of fruit and intensity of new barrique use, average + length, great intensity, not much complexity. More full and broard than finesseful which is also the wine's texture. Quite pleasant for its style.

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• 2003 Château Chantalouette 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  A bit more depth of color in the center, reddish rim, moderate extraction. The nose shows plenty of earth tinged, very dark fruits, subtle musty spice notes, a hint of savory tomato... very OW Merlot-ish. The palate shows moderate + acidity, a round and supple midpalate, a very nice transition into a moderate at best, very ripe tannin finish, moderate ETOH. Balanced wine with medium + length, good intensity and complexity. Finesse is more a factor here than with the first two wines and the texture is very soft and supple... seems very Merlot/Francish in an OW way.

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• 2003 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Rubyish rim that has quite a bit of depth of color and a moderate + amount of extraction at the rim. Aromatically the wine is has a really nice mix of fruit (cassis and dark raspberry), earth (soily), and new barrique use (very well integrated baking spices) with a hint of florality. On the palate the wine has moderate + acidity, a firmish, very cabernet midpalate that is slightly narrow... the wine trasnitions nicely into a firmish, ripe tannin finish that is quite noticeable, moderate ETOH. Very good balance with the barrique use much more of a side note to the profile of the wine, longest length of the 4, very good intensity and easily the most complexity of the 4. Finesse is there in spades and the texture is appropriately storng without being coarse. Very left bank and terroir driven wine with the most agebility of the 4 and the seemingly best site and winemaking.

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The 4 wines did a really nice job of expressing there varietals especially on the palate... for me ID'ing cab and merlot has to be more texture driven than aroma driven and this served me well here as both the merlots had very supple midpalates and tannins. The NW and OW distinctions were also pretty easy for these wines. Looking at the CT notes I can't believe the Mondavi cab gets that much love... the wine really is no where near being 89 points or 'excellent/outstanding'... the fruit on this wine tastes cheap and volatile... I did underestimate the ETOH by a full % something I need to work on. The notes on the Stag's Leap merlot seem more reasonable and even if you don't care for the style the wine is well made for what it is. The Chantalouette was what it was and really isn't as stereotypically 03 as I would guess. The Lagrange is easily the best wine of the 4 on all fronts... I think stylistically this estate is moving towards a more extracted style though still is able to retain some sense of place at this point... I go back and forth with the 03 vintage in Bordeaux at times finding the wines a bit roasted at times not... didn't really pick that up here with these two wine tonight.