Vitamin W Begins

Vitamin W is a wine tasting group I started with a number of wine novices like myself to learn more about wine. The goal is explore different varietals and regions as we go along. This tasting was the first meeting of our group and we tasted a grab bag of under $15 wines from my cellar.

Wanted to try the under $10 cabs I had found personally to see if they were worth the price to buy more.

• 2001 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Definitely a Napa cab with a good nose with some cocoa, but the finish fell way short. Nothing great. A decent party wine.

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• 2001 Castle Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Open for 30 minutes prior to drinking, only open this long because friends were late for tasting. Very disappointing in comparison to previous bottles. Acidity was high and the finish faded way too quickly. Not the QPR I rememebered from previous bottles.

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With the release of the 2003's just hitting the market, I wanted to introduce everyone in the group to the MP style and the previous vintage.

• 2002 Marquis Philips Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, South Eastern

  Very Australian wine in my limited experience. Fruit forward with scents of dark fruit and obvious lighter wood. Almost eucalyptus scent. Good finish. Much better than the previous inexpensive cabs tasted this evening (Castle Rock and Avalon).

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• 2002 Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend

  Australia, South Eastern

  I liked this wine best of the 2002 Marquis Philips in tonights tasting. The fruit forward Shiraz combined with the more tannic mid body of the Cabernet make it a more interesting balance with more intensity and body.

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• 2002 Marquis Philips Shiraz

  Australia, South Eastern

  Definitely an Australian fruit bomb Shiraz. The high alcohol was noticable, but the fruit kept it in check. An enjoyable wine, but less interesting than the more complex Sarah's Blend. I agree with the Parker assessment, this is more like Porn than a delicate wine.

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The goal was to compare the few cheap Rhone blends already in my cellar.

• 2002 Goats do Roam Wine Company Goat-Roti

  South Africa, Western Cape

  More Australian than Rhone. Very fruity and less dark than Syrah, more a Shiraz from my association. The Viognier added a nice floral scent to the mix. An enjoyable wine that was worth the $14 I spent.

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• NV Plan Pégau Vin de Table Français Lot 2001

  France, Vin de Table Français

  Good nose. Grenache obvious in the blend. The finish was more short and compact than I expected. Still, an enjoyable wine for $12.50 and I would buy more.

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• 1999 Ravenswood Icon

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Dark brooding fruit on entry. Peppery long finish. Acids have mellowed and the wine has really come together in the last 18 months and is much better integrated today. This is what I am looking for in a Syrah, I am generally not looking for an Australian Shiraz fruit bomb. A wine that has improved with age and is quite delicious today. My wine of the night!

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Our next meeting will be more structured and I am quite excited by the possibilities. Lots more to learn and figure out as we move forward, but a great first tasting for me.