San Diego
Tasted Tuesday, March 24, 2015 by Javachip with 551 views
Many thanks to JulieD for hosting this wonderful impromptu gathering for the downtown San Diegans, including Spo, in town for spring break. Along with great wines and great company, we enjoyed JulieD's lamb rib chops and an assortment of other dishes, including pate de foie gras smuggled directly from Paris during California's recently ended foie gras ban. On to the wines. Rankings are by group vote; tasting notes and point scores are my own, and thus may not always coincide with group rankings.
Thanks again to JulieD for hosting, and to all for attending. Cheers until next time!
2005 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée Brut - Late Disgorged 90 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Clear light straw color with steady fine bead. Delicious yeasty sourdough, with pear, lemon, Fuji apple. Generous, elegant, fresh and crisp. Outstanding.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Château Sigalas Rabaud 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Clear light honey gold. Very sweet with a first impression of marshmallow and cotton candy, leading into delicious notes of apricot and allspice. A bit cloying perhaps, but sipped sparingly, it paired well with pate de foie gras on toast.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Mosby Sangiovese 80 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Designated "Brunello" -- don't tell our Italian friends, who have a limited sense of humor about such things. Clear light ruby-blood red color. Bouquet of varnish, Pine Sol, sour red cherries and rhubarb. Quite tart. Impressive to be drinkable at all at age 24.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2001 Château Monbousquet 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes, then followed and re-visited over the next two hours. Really needs a longer decant than we gave it. Clear inky dark garnet - blood red. Brooding, elegant if reticent bouquet of cigars, blackberry bush, black currant liqueur. Some suggestion of marshland and tidal flats, but this dissipated over the next hour as the wine showed more minerality. On the palate, this was full-bodied, balanced, seamless. Seems likely to improve and open up with longer cellaring. My #2 and group's FIRST PLACE tonight. Thanks Azwiese!
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Clear medium ruby-garnet color. Bright, boisterous, exuberant sweet red fruit, potpourri, sandalwood. Fresh, focused, balanced, nice acidity. Fruit did not seem overripe, and I did not notice any excessive cola/root beer/sassafras character commonly encountered with California pinot noir. Still lovely when re-visited an hour later, now showing slight musk. My #1 and group's SECOND PLACE tonight.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Clos Apalta 92 Points
Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley, Apalta
Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. Clear dark inky garnet. Seems closed, tight, young. Outstanding profile of leafy blackberry bush, forest floor, blackcurrant liqueur, mocha. Full body, excellent structure and balance. Likely to improve with further age and also needs a longer decant. Group's THIRD PLACE tonight.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1994 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Allowed to breathe in bottle for 1 hour, then in glass 30 minutes before tasting. Clear dark garnet - blood red, becoming darker after an hour. Brooding, elegant bouquet of creme de cassis, forest floor, blackberry liqueur. Racer117 noted "cinnamon stick." If tasted blind, I might have guessed tight young Bordeaux. Not sure if the fruit will outlast the tannins in this wine. My #3 tonight.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Decanted 1 hour before tasting. Clear dark inky garnet color. Bouquet of roasted dark fruit, melted red licorice, lavish spicy oak, forest floor. Similar on the palate, full body, big opulent wine, may improve with more age. Overripe fruit for my taste but this style has plenty of fans.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue