4/9/2024 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

First of 6 bottles, Very easy drinking and enjoyable with a variety of foods. Cathy and I drank this bottle over the last two nights with Mississippi roast. Great QPR @ $19 from LBW, We've been drinking several NZ pinots this year, and a long-awaited trip to Kiwi-land in the near future is at the top of our bucket list.

3/29/2024 - mouton45 wrote:

IMHO, the 2020 lagged well behind the 2019, which I rated 93 on Feb. 28. Schramsberg is one of my top 5 favorite California sparkllng wine makers.. It always has and always will produce a very good sparkler, and this 2020 was definitely drinkable with our impromptu dinner of organic pork and chicken mousse pate from Whole Foods and Costco's Kirkland double cream brie imported from Normandy.

The 2020 exhiibited a volcanic eruption-like of bubbles in the glass from the first pour to the last sip. It offered a variety of floral notes and fruity flavors, and went well with the pate and cheese.

I respect WS and WE for the 93s they awards to the 202. But to me, it wasn't as good as the 1999, and I wondered why.

My guess why comes from Antonio Galloni's Viintage Chart for 2020 Sonoma PN (Schramsberg's grapes for its rose are sourced from North Coast vineyards from Mendocino to Marin counties, and in the case of the 2020. (which is 72% PN and 28% chard, according to the producer's website), 67% on the pinot came from Sonoma.

Here's what Galloni said about Sonoma PN for that vintage :

Year: 2020
Score: 78
Recommendation: Drink Now

Two-thousand twenty is an especially difficult vintage for Pinot Noir. Rampant wildfires and smoke presented huge challenges. Some wines were completely lost to smoke taint and were not bottled at all. In other cases, winemakers were able to accelerate harvest and salvage some of the crop. The dramatic conditions of the year resulted in highly variable wines. It is a vintage that requires extreme selection. I would not push my luck on aging. (08/23, AG).

FWIW: Vinous hasn't issued a rating on the 2020 Sonoma pinots as yet. It rated the 2019's as 93. Not wishing to get into any discussion on the validity of scores in general and professional reviewers in particular, I'm OK the two pro assessments of the 2020 Schramsberg But Rose posted so far. Everyone has a right to their opinion.

Right or wrong, I just saying that to ME it tasted distinctly different from the 2019, which is not uncommon with all the varietals.

WS rated the 2020 North Coast pinot vintage at 87 and said: "A year to forget for many Northern California producers, with a number of them not releasing wines because of challenging weather conditions, capped by wildfires during harvest leading to issues of smoke taint."

WA scored N.C. pinots 80 I - I for "irregular, even among the best wines."

Sounds pretty consistent to me, I guess.

Last word on this from me (thank God, right!): I bought 3 bottles of the 2020 rose a few months ago. Despite the caveat-emptor alerts from V, WS and WA, I plan to roll the dice and hold on to the other two bottles to drink other the next couple years. My score of 90 FW is not a terrible one, and other tasters already have or may see it differently, which is perfectly fine.

And considering the terrible wildfires that hit many vineyards and wineries, Schramsberg made, as usual, the best sparkler they could with what they had to work with. Bravo for their efforts. That's one reason they remain in my top 5.

3/23/2024 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Paired great with CJ's recipe for pan-seared pork tenderloin encased in sliced organic baby bellas and Dijon mustard and then oven-roasted in heavy cream.

As for the 2016 La Rinconada, it's still holding up well on the plateau of maturity. Don't see it getting better with more aging. But I think (and hope, with 9 bottles still in my Transtherm) that it'll still be very enjoyable to drink with food over the next few years.

Very balanced and PnP drinkable out of my cellar; nice complexity, medium length, favor of red pitted fruit and still very fresh tasting, A winner, IMO

Wine-Searcher Pro shows Lutums are still available in 6 U.S. stores, mostly in the NYC area, SF and LA. FWIW, CT's drink-by pro guesstimates range from 2026 to 2030. For point-chasers, the 2015 S&B received 96 from V (AG), 95 from WA (LPB) and 93 from JB (himself) back in 2017, when these wines were practically newborns.

I l have loved drinking Lutum pinots since 2018, when I first tasted its single-vineyard pinots from great grape sources -- such as Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, Bien Nacido, Durrell, Rita's Crown, Gap's Crown and more-- from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages, thanks to great deals from LBW; to get PNs from these type of iconic vineyards from $32 to $39 (for the SBs) was IMO a steal.

Most of my Lutums were purchased in 2020, a year after owner Bill Price and winemaker Gavin Chanin decided to focus on their own projects and LBW swooped in to grab a great wine to sale at a very enticing price.

Bill Price III owns Three Sticks Wines (his boyhood nickname) and vineyards such as Durrell, Gap's Crown and several others, as well as ownership interests in Kistler and Gary Farrell and before that 6 years ws chairman of Kosta Browne. Apparently he knows something about producing great pinots, and now Three Sticks also produces chardonnay mostly sourced from his Durrell Vineyard), pinot blanc, rose and some red and white blends.

I didn't know about 80% about his background until today when I googled Lutum and Three Sticks (being an award-winning journalist for 30 years, now retired, researching is part of my DNA} FWIW, never met the guy and probably never will. I just think his wines speak for themselves.

Gavin Chanin is also garnering his share of national accolades: Forbes "30 Under 30" for his wine talents, SF Chronicle for "Winemakers to Watch" and a protege of he late Jim Clendenen.

3/14/2024 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Drank with patio-grilled Argentinian sweetbreads and tender pork Matambre de Serdo. Jessie, Cathy and I preferred th Ladera Lone Canyon because after drinking only the Catena Malbec the day before, this was a different producer, a different varietal/flavor profile and a bit older. However, both were excellent wines still drinking well past their drinking-up date stage.

3/9/2024 - mouton45 wrote:

Thie2005, almost 20 hears old, was a great pairing with grilled Australian lamb loin chops. Fully mature but nowhere close to being over the hill, the Pesquera was made by the late Alejandro Fernandez, whose wines along with Vega Sicilia have been credited for putting the Ribera de Duero region in northern Spain in the international spotlight.

After nearly a two-hour decant, I smelled aromas of coffee and cedar in my glass. On the first sip, it tasted like sweet dark berry fruit. Very balanced and the tannins had softened a lot since the last 2005 I drank. Bottom line: I would be delighted to drink this again over the next 1-2 years -if I had any more in the cellar. Oh well .... on to the 2004s, a SPECTACULAR vintage in Spain,

3/1/2024 - mouton45 wrote:

I bought this wine in 2018 and waited patiently since then for the right opportunity to open it to complement my wife's cooking. I decided tonight was that time to drink it with pork tenderloin in a mushroom mustard cream sauce. In hindsight, this beautiful wine, with finesse and luscious fruit flavors, was overshadowed rather than complemented (IMO) the baby bella mushroom and mustard cream sauce. My bad. After dinner I finished the bottle after dinner with a few slices of brie and realized this was an unfortunate case of right wine, wrong place. In the last several month, we have been drinking bigger, bolder Sonoma pinots such as Wayfarer, Flowers and Hansel with pork and other dishes. Having never tasted any of Anthill's wines, I assumed it would be of the same ilk coming from Sonoma's Green Valley. I intend to seek out other Anthill bottlings and be more aware of what it will go with. Lesson learned.

2/26/2024 - mouton45 wrote:

My last of 13 bottles from the 2014 vintage, bought for $31.99 each in the Big Chardonnay Dump of 2019. Every one of these bottles was top notch. More Burgundian (less oaky) in style than most of my Cali Chards. This gem of a wine enhanced a variety of dishes: seafood (Atlantic snapper, monkfish and cod), chicken veloute over brown rice, chicken in sherry cream sauce and surprisingly over the last couple of days, spicy Cajun crawfish pasta. The saying goes: All good things must come to an end. But the upside now is on to the 2015s.

2/14/2024 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

At our wine group dinner last night, this dry GG Riesling from von Bassermann-Jordan was an awesome pairing with thinly shaved veal topped with a poached egg and a slice of homemade crunchy pumpernickel on the side. Kudos again to To Chefs chef-owner Jan Jorgensen for creating wonderful off-menu, four-course meals exclusively for our group every two weeks.

Back to this special wine, which proudly displays the highly coveted Grosses Gewachs designation (the #1 selling point for me) on one of the prettiest labels I've ever seen (selling point #3 after #2 - the well-recognized reps of the Jesuitengarten vineyard and the producer).

Back go the wine: The Riesling had a typical slightly petrol smell in the background that still let for floral aromas come through. On the palate it had tropical fruit flavors balanced by good acidity and minerality. It also had a very long finish.

I have one more bottle of the 2016 left in my cellar, and I'm glad I waited this long to open the first one. Thanks to good info from some CT members who have had this wine, I decanted it for more than 3 hours before heading out to Two Chefs for another memorable wine-and-dine experience.

1/25/2024 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Another example of an excellent. St. Emilion for the great 2005 vintage. Nicely balanced with 66% merlot and 17% each cab franc and cab sauv. Smooth tannins; very drinkable now with an hour or two decant. Engaging aromas of sweet berries and cassis. Dense and concentrated and IMO has several years of development ahead. But with a good decant, why wait. Two left in the cellar; will try next bottle around 2030, God willing.

Tonight, the 2005 Destieux drank wonderfully with grilled Australian lamb loin chops seasoned with Pensey's Tsardust and accompanied b Wild Fork cheese an potato gratin potato puffs.

12/24/2023 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Delicious pairing with our traditional Christmas Eve dinner: fresh Florida stone crabs with Joe's Stone Crab sauce recipe. Simple but decadent. The 100% pinot-noir LP rose undegoes a 48-to-72-hour maceration, giving it its rich black cherry color . Fresh and balanced; the acidity help cut through the tangy sauce

12/19/2023 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Took Billecart-Salmon's 24-year-old Tete de Cuvee to my group's last wine dinner of 2023. IMO, it still will show spectacularly for another 3-4 years, but why wait? Cepage is 60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay. It tasted fresher, again IMO, than the first champagne poured, a very delicious 2002 Carbon BdB. The Billecart offered floral and nutty aromas, and still had a steady stream of tiny bubbles. Very elegant and balanced. Bought in 2016 and kept in the same very cool spot in my cellar for the last 7 years. One of the best champagnes I ever drank.

12/10/2023 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

A tale of two bottles: Tonight I grilled a leg of lamb for dinner and considered pairing it with the last of my three bottles of the 2004. I checked CT and saw KStoddard's one-word review in May - "undrinkable" - that gave me an oh-boy feeling. I've never met or corresponded with Mr. Stoddard, but I have a lot of respect for his palate (24,000+ reviews). In the end I went with the obvious: I have to try it sometime, so let's go for it and hope for the best. The cork was pretty crumbly, but after cleaning up that mess and quadruple decanting it over four hours, I'm happy to say this 2004 was still very drinkable and a enjoyable accompaniment with the lamb. While no longer brooding as in the past, it was still balanced IMO and provided discernable flavors of dark fruits and coffee and a semblance of acidity - remarkable for 19 years in the bottle. FWIW, I scored it the same as I did in 2010 and 2020.

7/25/2023 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Brought my only bottle of the 2005 Espectacle to tonight's wine group dinner. Paired great with the first meat course, moulard duck breast and Kalamata olive risotto. This bottle had a beautiful raspberry nose from 100-year-old Granacha vines in the DO Montsant area that surrounds the DOQ Priorat region. Delicious wine.

4/12/2023 - mouton45 wrote:

91 with monkfish and basmati rice. Last bottle

9/27/2022 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

A big hit at tonight's wine group dinner at Two Chefs. We follow a double blind format, but no one initially figured out this was 100% merlot from one of Washington State's premier producers. From my notes: Dark color in the glass, Rich tobacco-y nose. Silky and elegant on the palate. Very concentrated, Had a long finish. Chris Figgins said it should hold up well at least until 2028. FWIW, this went perfectly with our fourth course - oxtail ravioli........
Simply put, the 2008 more than held its own against a diverse array of top-notch reds, including a 1945 Ducru Beaucalliou -- an incredible treat (gracias Luis): this is a 77-year-old Bordeaux from one of the vintages of the century that delightfully is still hanging in there, has discernably sweet fruit left, but hardly any tannins. The other two reds also were excellent - a 2004 Clio and a 2002 premier cru red burgundy. Rounding out our night was a 1995 Taylor (before it became Taylor-Fladgate) for the dessert course. (Thanks again, Luis)

5/28/2022 - mouton45 wrote:

I opened a magnum of 2004 Ladera Howell Mountain for a family gathering today to celebrate my oldest son's birthday. Went very nicely with a Wild Fork's Wagyu Picanha roast on the Weber. At 17 years old, the wine was still very balanced and a pleasure to finally drink (bought in 2009). But IMO it wasn't quite as rich or dense as the 2001, 2002 and 2003 vintages (all from 750mls) that I've drunk this year. I was expecting the Howell Mountain bottling to exhibit bigger black-fruit aromas and a bit more length. The tannins were was well resolved like the other bottles, and the oak was pretty subtle as well. One surprise: when I decanted it about two hours before dinner, it had very little sediment. I still have one more 2004 HM mag, and two 04 mags from Lone Canyon Vineyard across the valley. I don't think aging them any longer will substantially improve those bottles, so I look forward to drinking them in the near term, especially when we have a larger group that works with the magnum format.

5/21/2022 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Cathy and I were in Costco on Friday and stumbled on the Atlantis cod at $9.98 a pound. We weren't looking to buy fish but at that price we decided to give a try. This turned out a pleasurable and eye-opening decision. The Barnett was rich and buttery. Medium body. About a 25-30 second finish. Barnett's winemaker exhibited a deft touch with giving the wine just a kiss of oak. Paired very well with skjn-side seared Atlantic cod with melted butter spooned over the top; kudos to Cathy's skill in the kitchen This is the first time that I had Barnett's chardonnay (love their cabs) and it won't be the last. To my taste, this will be one of my go-to wines with delicate whitefish such as the cod

1/1/2022 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Made from 100% PN, this copper-colored Gallimard tasted rich and ripe with good balance and freshness, with a nose of freshly cut strawberries. It worked well with pan-seared foie gras. The high degree of acidity in the champagne helped cut through the rich creaminess of the pate, which was spread on toasted pita bread and accompanied by thin slices of brie. Bought 4 bottles of the Gallimard on Last Bottle Wines for $25 apiece - IMO, excellent QPR for a French Champagne from the Aube region.

8/29/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

It's interesting how things work out unexpectedly sometimes. We decided to grill a ribeye for Sunday dinner and a movie (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard), and I chose to pull my last bottle of this South African cab franc from the cellar. After decanting and sampling it a couple hours before we ate, I didn't think it was matched up my past notes (though still drinkable at age 15). So I left it in the decanter and switched to an awesome 2008 Hourglass Blueline Merlot (see my posted note). After finishing dinner and with about a half-hour of the movie left, Cathy cut a couple slices of double cream brie for dessert. I grabbed new glasses and poured the 2005 Anthonij Rupert. Wow, it had opened and reminded me of previous bottles - smooth, good concentration, soft tannins and a pleasing sweetness that complemented the brie nicely. Again IMO, this bottle was at the top but not over the hill yet, though I'm glad I got to taste it while still enjoyable. We have more than a half the bottle left, and I'm interested to see how it held up overnight and pairs with grilled chicken for tonight's dinner.

8/29/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

Happy to report that, IMO, the 2008 is still going strong as it nears its 13th birthday. We had this tonight with a delicious grilled ribeye and sweet potato fries in our new air fryer, but the Hourglass was clearly the highlight of the dinner. It was full-bodied (almost cab-like) with richness and an array of flavors including dark pitted fruits, mocha and vanilla. It had a timed 35-second finish. Accented with a touch of oak deftly done by winemaker Bob Foley. Paul Giamatti's character in Sideways obviously never tried this wine. Kudos to Jeff Smith and his wife for building and maintaining one of Napa's very best wineries, among our top three favorites.

8/8/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

This wine drank beautifully tonight with grilled lamb loin chops. IMO it was fully mature but not close to being over the hill. The gradation the color was dark in the center and clear on the rim, which is expected in an almost 17-year-old Rioja. This has a Bordeaux tone to it, including a 35-second finish. Picked up flavors of cherries, blackberries and vanilla. There was more of a hint of oak rather than a full-throttle dollop. All in all, very nice accompaniment to lamb, and I look forward to seeing how the other half of the bottle tastes tomorrow with leftovers

6/28/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

My last bottle and the best of the five I bought in 2006. Paired nicely with skillet-cooked pork chops in a creamy tarragon sauce. First off, this bottle was still very much alive, and Cathy and I loved the grenache-dominated blend. If this is a declassified Mas Doix, can't wait to try the 2003 big brother I have. The Salanques' nose was a melange of blue, black and other berries, which also were present on our taste buds. I was impressed the acidity held up for 17 years. One difference from previous bottles was the oakiness had toned down nicely. Price-wise, this $30 Salanques is a steal compared to the Mas Doix price tag. In hindsight, wish I had thought of putting them head to head tonight.

6/27/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Still drinking well several years beyond the guesstimated drink-up date. I don't see why it won't keep on for at least another couple years. I decanted the wine about 3 hours before dinner and took a quick first taste. It seemed slightly pruney then, so I decided to re-decant and let it get a lot of airtime until dinner. Happily. that was the right call. It was a very good pairing with grilled ribeyes. Cathy said she smelled black cherry on the nose. I also thought it had a long finish. Based on some others' previous comments, I wasn't sure it would hold up -- even had a backup ready - 2002 d'Arenberg Coppermine Road cab from Aussie-land. Look forward to trying that another time. The Hestan Meyers Vineyard held its own very nicely. IMO.

5/31/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

When I decanted this 2000 about 2+ hours before dinner, it had a non-descript nose and was surprisingly tight. I used a proven aeration trick every time I passed by, pouring the wine back and forth times between two thick-glass milk bottles until dinner was ready. It worked again, at least IMO. I paired the d'Aiguihle with grilled Australian lamb chops (hands-down Costco's best meat deal). In our glasses the wine now had pronounced scents of black berries and cherries as well as a little licorice. On the palate it was dense, slightly sweet and supple, with a medium body and soft tannins. This wasn't the wine I had been looking for in my cellar, but I'm very happy that I stumbled on it first. This is Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux, which I bought in 2004 for $19, is a great value made by Count Stephan de Niepperg, who also produces La Mondotte and Canon La Gaffeliere from St. Emilion. Looking forward to my last two bottles, which has clearly exceeded the projected drink-by date of 2016.

5/18/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Jorge Ordonez has another big-time winner here with a beautiful wine from 100+-year-old Verdejo vines. This single-vineyard bottling is a definite step-up from the regular Nisia. which is half the price and delicious as well. The Las Suertes was lush and plush, with citrusy flavors and excellent length and silkiness. This was a great pairing with our second white-wine course -- sea scallops in a creamy Dijon buerre blanc sauce -- at our wine group dinner last night at Two Chefs.

5/18/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

I brought this PX dessert wine to last night's wine group dinner at Two Chefs. The NV 1927 solera from Montilla-Moriles was sherry-like but is not from the D.O.P-protected Sherry Triangle; so the word "sherry" cannot legally be on the bottle. What it is though is pure decadence in a glass - rich, unctuous and sweet but not cloying. This is the type of dessert wine meant for small sips to take in all the dense and intense flavors that coat the mouth. For around $30, this is a wine that makes any occasion special and memorable. Cheers to the Alvear family for producing such a unique elixir.

5/15/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

Cathy and I enjoyed this bottle very much with the second-night leftovers of Tuscan shrimp - a terrific pairing. A bit surprising but I liked the Patz Hyde better than the Ramey Hyde on the first night. Like the Ramey, which I rated a close 92, the Patz too was very balanced, but a little bit more lush and textured than the Ramey. Patz had medium body, crisp acidity and a deft touch of oak - present but not overbearing. Based on what we drank tonight, I think the P&H could go on for at least 2-3 years, well past the projected WA drink-by date of 2021. With 3 more bottles of 2014 in the cellar, I look forward to testing my guestimate on ageability.

5/8/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

My last bottle of the 2006 vintage. Nice pairing again with grilled ribeye. Cathy liked it a lot. Medium body. This was holding up well beyond estimated CT drink-up date of 2016, but IMO now was the right time to finish off this vintage. I scored this bottle slightly below previous ones. Still offering flavors of dark fruit, cocoa and coffee. Slight bit of sweetness, but very pleasant. Looking forward to starting on the next of several vintages in my cellar - 2008. I have long loved Jeff Smith's cabs and cab franc too (and SB as well), but prefer his Blueline merlot most of all. Definitely the best bang for the buck. Our private visit with Jeff on a quiet Memorial Day afternoon several years ago is still one of my best Napa memories.

5/4/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

Spectacular Sonoma Coast pinot. Ranks up there with pinots from Wayfarer's neighbor, Marcassin, which is fitting in that Helen Turley was instrumental in getting Jayson Pahlmeyer to buy the property in the late 90's. This was the second of four 2012's I bought a couple years ago, and this bottle showed even better than the first one. Brought it to my wine group's dinner on Tuesday night. Everyone was very impressed at the high quality of Wayfarer, including one member who has been on Marcassin's mailing list for more than a decade. This wine was full-bodied and still going strong at 9 years old. It had elegance and length, with cherry and spice notes. Very elegant. Look forward to seeing how the last two bottles evolve. Getting on Marcassin's list at this point would be very difficult to impossible, but finding Wayfarer in several of South Florida's best retail shops is very doable.

3/29/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Still holding up well beyond the projected CT drink-up date. Certainly won't develop any more but it was a nice pairing with sablefish in a leeks and butter sauce. Color was on the golden side, not surprising for 9 years old. Citrus and melon flavors present. Easy (and enjoyable) to drink. Looking forward to seeing what its big brother. 2015 Las Suertes Old Vines Nisia verdejo has to offer.

3/14/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

Very fresh and clean wine. Went nicely with pasta alfredo with mixed seafood in top. my wife and I liked it enough for both of us to drink an second glass after the meal

3/13/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

At dinner last night, my wife wanted something with more fruit than the 2000 Pagodas de Cos that I had opened, so I went to the cellar and chose this one knowing Cathy's favorite red is pinot. So I put aside the decanter of Cos for tomorrow and poured my own glass. We both really loved it - I rated it 91 and Cathy 92. I especially appreciated the cherry and raspberry favors of the Argyle Reserve. I got this at my Costco a few years ago at a very reasonable price and I believe they usually to carry this wine, albeit more current vintages of course. I'm definitely going to look for more Argyle when I go back to Costco

3/13/2021 - mouton45 wrote:

I have 3 bottles of 2000 Pagodas left in my cellar and decided it would go nicely with grilled ribeye, sauteed shrooms and baked potato. It drank nice (like my last note said 9 months ago) but this bottle had only a tad bit of fruit left and a short finish. I should decanted the St Estephe much sooner, but got caught up playing with our grandsons now that we are vaccinated (hands down much more important). I left about a half of the bottle to see whether it improves overnight. I had a 2000 Cos more recently and not surprisingly that was a major step up.

3/9/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Even at 10+ years old, this age-worthy, no-malo chard drank beautifully last night at our regular wine group dinner at Two Chefs. Everyone agreed it paired wonderfully with the second course of mahi mahi on top of a potato pancake and caramelized fennel. Initially when I pulled it from the cellar, I was apprehensive about how it would show considering its age. But after decanting, I knew the yellow straw color, ripe citrusy nose and lemony flavor that this would be a treat. The eight other members of the group agreed it was a winner. I have one bottle of the 2010 left to enjoy before moving to to the 2011s.

3/5/2021 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Alluring nose of apricots, apples, melons and honey. Medium to full-bodied chardonnay - never had a DuMol that hasn't that. Good acidity that led to a long finish with a bit of spiciness. In the first glass I drank, there was a mild oaky flavor, which went very well with Ultimate Crab Cakes from Fresh Market topped with Joe's Stone Crab signature sauce. In the second glass, the oak flavor was even less discernible, though the flavor remained rich and mouth-coating to the end. Very pleased to have a half case of the 2014s left to try over the next several years.

9/1/2020 - mouton45 wrote:

For starters, a rich floral nose. The finish was long and full flavored. We paired this with tuna loin in a buttery caper sauce and it worked deliciously. Throughout our dinner, what struck me the most was that the Red Shoulder tasted more like the premier cru white burgundy we had a couple nights ago than a Napa chardonnay. The 2015 was medium bodied, very balanced and a light touch of oak, which is probably why I thought of France instead of California - even though I knew it was from Napa. At five years old, this may well continue to improve with a one of two more years in my cellar. I have two bottles left, so I'm looking forward to tasting its progress over the next 3 or 4 years.

8/31/2020 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

This was a delightful surprise. I wasn't expecting a lot from a 24-year-old Rioja, but it was still very drinkable, definitely not over the hill. Very burgundian flavors. Rich nose of leather and dark fruits. The only negative, albeit small, was the bottom part of the cork broke off.

I had this with leftover grilled Australian lamb loin chops from Costco (one of the best bets for red meat lovers) and it was my favorite over yesterday's 1999 Faugeres and 2005 Michel Magnien Morey St. Denis - both of which showed well with the lamb chops.

Today, I originally was going to go with a 2004 El Nido Clio when I spotted my last bottle of Prado Enea 1996. Always have loved this particular wine and happy that I still have several more vintages in my cellar.

8/16/2020 - mouton45 wrote:

This was a nice surprise. While looking for a 2005 Volnay in my cellar, I stumbled on the 1996 Monbousquet, which was still in my CT inventory though I hadn't seen it for a long, long time. Since I was grilling a ribeye for dinner, I thought, What do I have lose? Happily, I didn't lose. The cork gave out solid with the help from an ah-so. When I decanted it about 45 minutes before dinner, I picked up faint coffee and oak aromas, which was more than I expected from a 24-year-old Right Banker from merlot primarily and some cab franc. When I took a sip, the fruit was still there, very soft and refined, albeit it was clearly well past its prime. Bottom line, it held up nicely throughout dinner and and dare I say was an enjoyable pairing with the steak, sweet potato fries and port-infused baby bellas. Glad I took a chance

3/22/2020 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Delighted to say this is still going strong. Went great last night with Cathy's short ribs braised for 9+ hours. Tannins from this once-brooding, mountain-grown cab have finally resolved, and the flavors of cassis and plum were apparent, as well as scents of cedar and mocha. This was pure pleasure to enjoy over dinner at home and the rest of the evening as we "sheltered in place." I don't see it evolving further, but IMO it could remain on the plateau of maturity for 5 more years. We'll see; have 3 more left out of 6. Looking forward to drinking my last bottle (of 6) of 2001 Pride Cab Franc next, all of which I bought direct from the winery when I was on its mailing list.

5/29/2019 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Took last night to my wine group dinner. Loved this wine -- first time I tried an EL chardonnay. Floral nose, lemon flavor, oak component noticeable but not a Cali chardonnay oak bomb. Bright acidity and a long finish. Very burgundian in style. A winner. Buy more

5/29/2019 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Took to last night's wine dinner at Two Chefs. Very light in color; most of the group initially thought it was a Cali pinot. After I said it wasn't, a couple guys jumped to a non-Italian nebbiolo - on the right track but this is 100% sangiovese from Washington State. My notes: Did a P&P at home before going to the dinner. The wine was medium body to my taste, with some but not a lot of acidity. Cherry-like flavor. Several of us agreed the wine gained some weight and structure in the glass. Overall, pretty tasty.

1/9/2019 - mouton45 Likes this wine:

Great showing last night at my wine group's dinner. When I bought the 1996, I was stunned that the fill was still mid-neck. When I double-decanted about 3 hours before the dinner, it threw very little sediment. This wine went up against a 1978 Ducru, a 1990 Ferraton Ermitage Les Miaux and 1998 Giacosa Rabaja barbaresco, and more than held its own. A favorite among several members of the group. The Pride still tasted young, especially for a 22-year-old Cali merlot. It is 96% merlot and 4% cab - and to my taste, was more like a older cab. Go figure. A couple guys guessed correctly it was from the mid-90s (double blind format), but thought too it was a cab. I can say definitively that the community drink dates on CT are way off on this wine. Will try another bottle maybe around the end of this year and see what that's like. All in all, though, a delightful surprise due mainly to its age. The late Jim Pride wrote: "The length of the ripening season contributed to the extraordinary character of the 1996 wines. The Merlot was harvested in mid-October at full fruit development and the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest extended into mid-November. Full ripe rich aromas and textures are married with the sweet spice of the finest French oak barrels. The fine balance and extraordinarily dark ruby hue assure that our Merlot will continue to develop in the bottle for years to come." He must be thinking now, "I told you so."

9/19/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

Brought my last bottle of the 1979 to our biweekly wine group dinners at Two Chefs; previous one opened at our dinner in 2010.

Not sure how much life it had left, I decided to decant shortly before going to dinner. When I removed the capsule, the top of the cork looked solid with no sign of seepage . But when I started to pull it with an ah-so, it began to come out in pieces, which I double-screened out along with some sediment. The nose was slightly muted and the color had a brownish, earthy look, but a quick taste reassured me it was drinkable, albeit a nondescript Bordeaux at that moment.

A different -- and better -- story at the restaurant, and this is what I love about collecting and drinking fine wines. After starting with two excellent champagnes (Vilmart Cuvee Rubis rose and J Vineyards) and four whites (including two top-notch grand cru Alsatians, a white Bordeaux and a 2009 Mount Eden chard many of us mistook for a Corton Charlemagne in our double blind format), I finally poured the 79 La Mission with the first of the two red-wine courses.

The nose was now more complex with the lovely scents of tobacco and cedar, and the wine had gained some weight and depth and was no longer nondescript. It was medium bodied and earthy and smoky on the palate with some fruit still discernible.

I was pleased how well it showed, and it served a great kickoff for the three younger, bigger reds that followed - 1997 Ch. Margaux, 1995 Phelps insignia and 2008 Viader proprietary blend. While all the champagnes, whites and reds were terrific, the WOTN for me was the closer - 1996 d'Yquem, thanks to Bob Muraro, who also brought the Margaux.

Thanks too to owner-chef Jan Jorgensen and Chef Oscar Pajares, who cooked for us last night. For years, they have been creating special off-the-menu feasts (two courses for whites, two for reds) just for our group. Always great wines, great food, great times.

3/6/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

Brought a second white to last night's wine group dinner at Two Chefs, which was fortunate since one person didn't read their assignment and brought a red instead of the white he was supposed to. The Rombauer was delicious to my taste, a bit oaky for others. I'll stick with my score on the first bottle

3/6/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

Took this to last night's wine group. It had some citrusy and apple flavors. Most of the group thought it was Italian or Verdejo - an eye opener from Basque Country for some of them. Nothing profound about the wine, but it was dry with a clean taste and went well with the first course of oysters.

3/1/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

gave to James and Vanessa

2/24/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

Starter for our annual stone crab dinner with Chris and Sal. Enjoyable. Good pairing

2/24/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

One of the 4 champagnes we had our stone crab dinner. This was ok, but nothing special. Not worth repurchasing, even for $13

2/24/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

The other dessert wine poured after our stone crab dinner with Chris and Sal. very sweet with lots of acidity - kuch mpre that the 05 Quarts de Chaume. Bice wine; one left

2/24/2018 - mouton45 wrote:

One of two dessert wines after our annual stone crab dinner with Chris and Sal. I poured this great Loire wine along with a 2003 Sauterne to show the differences in the two wines. They loved this one by far, although the Sauterne was no slouch. Chris said if i had only poured the Sauterne, it would have been wonderful. But when compared to the Quarts, it came in second place