Back To Posting - Stags Leap "Ne Cede Malis"

Back to posting after a long hiatus.

This was a wine that I had with our thanksgiving meal. The wine itself is a mishmash of grapes, with petite sirah chief among them.

The nose of the wine was a bit closed, but had enormous spice as a predominant component. We decanted it quickly to get it to open up, but it still was tight after the several hour meal. The complex spices were held up by a core of red berries, perhaps a bit on the underripe side. The spices were heady and beyond a predominant clove, it almost smelled like the mix at an indian restaurant.

On the palate it was a bit harsh, likely from a large amount of alcohol, but quickly gave way to a pleasing complex finish. Layers of cedar, vanilla, rose, perfume, cinammon and coffee. Overall a complex experience, with a number of unusual aromas. Not a wine I'd have every day, but very interesting. Also it might have gotten a bit better, if we'd decided to wait a year or two to drink.

The wine was around $50, so comparisons are relevant to other hugh PS wines. Given equal availablity, I'd choose a Turley or Sheafer Relentless over it. However, all of those are pretty scarce (as is this) and this is far better than most PS that I can find regularly. I recommend it with a slight reservation.

Mixed Varietal Tasting- June 23, 2007

FLIGHT ONE:

*Scrimaglio, Dolcetto d'Alba, Piedmont, IT 1998 ($15.99)

"Very basic" "Neutral" "Summer Wine"

Nose: Licorice/cherry

Taste: Grassy/rain

Mouth feel: Silky, soft

Finish: Short



*Quinta Do Crasto, Douro, (Tinta Briz, Tina Barocca, Touriga National, Tourga Franca) Portugal 2003 ($22.95) *3 Votes*

"Sweeter" "Versatile" "Cheesy" "Transition wine"

Nose: Hot/candied cherry

Taste: Jamy plum

Mouth Feel: Thick

Finish: Fruit forward



*Taurino Notapanario, Salentio Rosso (Negro Amaro, Malvasia Nera), Piedmont, IT 1999 ($14.95)

"Elbowed" "Sherry" "Hole in mid-palate" "Wet dog"

Nose: Tawny port/sherry

Mouth feel/Balance: high acids

Taste: unremarkable

Finish: Tart apple



*Angelo Pitaro, Refosco, Friuli, IT 2005 (15.99) *Least Favorite *

"Flat"

Nose: Sour candy/radish

Taste: Woody

Finish: Cedar



*Trinchero Petit Verdot, St. Helena, 2003 ($23.99) *Most Favorite- 7 Votes*

"Well balanced" "Oaky" "Depth"

Nose: Clay, vegetal

Taste: Blueberries, plum

Finish: Smoky





FLIGHT TWO:

*Luca, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2002 (on sale $27.99) *1 least favorite vote*

"Thin"

Nose: Paint thinner

Taste: Cherry cola

Finish: Short, unremarkable



*Tikal Patriote, Bonarda/Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2004 ($21.99) *2 least favorite votes*

"Sweet" "Vinegar" "Zin-like"

Nose: Candied marachino cherry

Taste: Nuts (walnut, hazelnut)

Balance: High acids

Finish: Hot, but blows off



*Cline Ancient Vines, Morvedere, Contra Costa 2004 ($14.39) *3 favorite votes*

"Sweet nose" "Blue cheese" "I would buy this" "Haven't had a Cline I didn't like"

Nose: Apricot, whipped cream

Taste: Fruit (dried prunes); good oak, tannins
Finish: Vanilla



*Marietta, Petite Sirah, Alexander Valley 2003 ($18.49) *Most Favorite with 5 votes*

"Fruit bomb"

Nose: Blackberry, floral

Taste: Dark fruits

Balance: Tart acids, strong/chewy tannins

Finish: Earthy



Chateau de Fitere, Madrian, FR (Tannat) ($12.99) *5 least favorite votes*

"Grass" "Dirt" "Bad licorice"

Nose: Asperagus

Taste: Hot

Finish: Cedar, drops quickly

Zinfandel Tasting Notes

Sorry these come late!

The Zinfandel tasting was the best yet...Steve did not hold back and selected 10 top Zinfandels, which led to widespread reports of hangovers the next day. Here were the comments, as best as I can decipher my Zin-fluenced handwriting. I have also included the recipe for the rib sauce.

Enjoy!
Shannon

First flight
1. Cline Big Break, Contra Costa, 2004: $29.99
This was the sweetest of the flight and one member's favorite as it was mild enough to enjoy multiple glasses
Jammy, fig, peat, fresh grass, slight floral notes
2. Ravenswood Barricia Vineyard, Sonoma, 2004: ~$30
Favorite of one taster
Mouthwatering, port-like sweetness was seen as "Robitussin-like" by one, a bit sharp to start with a shorter finish, food friendly given higher acidity
3. Ridge York Creek, Napa, 2003: ~$30
Favorite of one taster
Buttery, long finish, notes of tea
4. Green & Red Chiles Mill Vineyard, Napa, 2004: ~$30
This was the favorite of the group with 7 votes
Distinctive, cedar overtones (as shown by comparison to the humidor), potential to age, smooth with good mouth feel

Second flight: No prices are listed as all wines are available only through allocation from Turley (or by sucking up to Theo!)
1. Turley, Tofanelli, Napa, 2004
One vote for favorite
"Bam slam", Consistent, raspberry, licorice, orange
2. Turley, Ueberroth, Paso Robles, 2004
2 votes for favorite
Sweeter than the others, cherry fruit bomb, fades into a sweet aftertaste, cedar finish with grapefruit nose
3. Turley, Pesenti, Paso Robles, 2004
No notes? Sorry guys.
4. Turley, Moore "Earthquake", Napa 2004
No votes for favorite but enjoyed by the group
Very smooth, smoky, dried fruit
5. Turley, Dogtown, Lodi, 2004
One vote for favorite
Jammy, higher alcohol than the others, raspberry, sage, could sit for 2-3 years and be even better
6. Turley, Hayne, Napa, 2004
Favorite with 5 votes
Smoothest, strawberry jelly, smoky

Rib sauce
Makes enough sauce for 7-10 pounds of ribs (I used pork shoulder ribs seasoned with garlic and pepper)

1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter
1½ cups ketchup
¾ cup bottled steak sauce (I used A-1)
¾ cup honey
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2/3 of a 12 oz beer (I used Red Tail)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Tabasco

Sautee the onion and garlic in butter. Add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, let simmer 30 minutes or more.

2000 Chateaux Monbousquet, St. Emillion Grand Cru

This was a wine that we sampled at Lola during a recent dinner. OK it was far more than sampled, as we enjoyed this wine througout its tableside evolution. I actually was looking for something a bit more mature, but steering me this way turned out to be a great call by the owner.

The wine started out with a bright red fruit character held up with rich earthy undertones. The strongest notes were of currant and blueberry, with a core of red clay. The finish was long and elegant, very typical bordeaux.

As we tasted our second course the wine was changing a bit. More vanilla came out along with some mushroomy elements. A bit less fruit, as one would expect, but still extraordinarly balanced. It was a surprisingly good pair with a foie gras dish.

With our entrees the wine was suprisingly refined. I was having a duck dish, which brought out a rich cranberry essence. My wife was dining on venison, and this brought out some more tea and heady spices.

The wine was truly excellent. It had enough complexity and balance to hang with almost anything we could put it up against. Highly recommended.

1996 Felsina Maestro Raro, Tuscany

I had this one at Charlie Palmer's Aureole in Las Vegas. Over all this wine was outstanding, and drunk quite a bit younger than it's 10 years. Big full flavors of truffle, leather and cassis. The balance was quite good and the finish was impressive and quite long. It developed a bit during the meal, but was never really fell off. I'd give it another 5 years with out concern, and it might even get a bit better. It was $140 on the list, but was actually quite worth the price. I'd love to find a couple of these for my home cellar.

Its also worth mentioning that the list at the restaurant was so big that it came delivered on a tablet PC. You can browse the list online here

Tasting Notes - January 6, 2007

Here are the group notes from the sparkling wine tasting... enjoy!

Flight One
Sofia Blanc de Blancs Brut 2005 - this was the official "clubbing champagne" with attributes appreciated only by the two true clubbers in the group. Described as sweet scented, fruity and smooth, this only-chardonnay grape sparkler costs a mere $19.99, so I say give it a break!

Iron Horse, Russian Cuvee, Brut 2001 - "dry as a popcorn fart" from one esteemed taster but "well balanced" from another. This more polarizing sparkler was deemed tart, dry, chardonnay-ish, and scentless by a variety of contributors. Not kind words for the $33.99 price.

Laurent: Perrier, Brut NV - this one gets the "most popular" vote from a very diverse crowd. Described as "dry, smooth, and what a sparkler should taste like," as well as "a little sweet for a brut," the group actually had a hard time defining why it liked this one. In the end, most concluded that it actually tasted like cheap champagne. Kind of... $32.99.

Schramsberg, Blanc de Noirs, Brut 2003 - only one member chose this one as the favorite, but comments were mild. Described as "smooth with a nice finish" and "typical champagne - yeasty, smokey and imbalanced," this sparkler concluded a flight to which most members said, "underwhelming." Cost for this final underwhelming sparkler is $29.99.

Flight Two - now we're talking
Bollinger, Special Cuvee, Brut, NV - No one picked this as their favorite, which is quite unusual for such a diverse group. Comments included "super-dry," "tasteless," and "lots of bubbles, but sour." This one gets the official thumbs down. Particularly at $49.99 (see, the clubbing Sofia would be better than this and you'd have some cash left over for the popcorn).

Roederer Estate, L'Ermitage, Brut 1999 - Two members chose this as their favorite, and one as their least favorite. Most concluded, however, that this sparkler got better after sitting for a bit (hmm - is that good in a champagne?). Comments included, "lots of flower, perfume, and aroma," as well as "tart." Cost for this late-bloomer is $47.99.

Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin, La Grande Dame, Brut 1996 - Does it get any better than the Grand Dame? Six members chose this one as tops. Not a one complained about it. And for $161, what did you expect? Comments included "creme brulee," "floral with nuts," and "scent very different from taste." This was the winner for the evening.

Tattinger, Prestige Rose, Brut NV - Reality hits. This one was a crowd pleaser for taste AND price. We voted this one in for the club "cellar." Comments included, "light, dough-bread scent," "balanced and not too perfumy," and "not quite as bubbly." At $68.99, the Tattinger is a wallet-wise rival to the Grand Dame.

By this point my handwriting was compromised, but I believe I captured the evening. Cheers!

Jen

2004 Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa Valley

We actually used this one as a swill before one of our tastings, but afterward I bought a couple of bottles for later use. The wine itself is pretty simple, but it is fairly well balanced. We found the wine a touch hot, but about 20 min in glass took care of that as an issue. The flavors are pretty much straight cassis and eucalyptus, and the finish is of OK length. The kicker is the price - its only about $12 and is truly a napa valley cab. I'd bring this to just about any party where a lot of people might be drinking. It may be a bit of quantity over quality, but it drinks like its about a $20 cab and would please most people.

Miner Wine Dinner

Last night, we went to the Miner Wine Dinner at Abacus. We realized we are big, big fans of the Miner Gary's Vineyard Pinot Noir (about $50 retail at Siegel's) ... the rest, notsomuch. The Viognier, Chardonnay, Cab and Commemorative Hockey red just didn't quite stand up to the price.

We've had much better $50 bottles at wine club. Skip the hype and go with what you know.

2004 Green and Red - Chiles Mill Vineyard Zinfandel

This has always been one of my favorite wines, and this one didn't disappoint. The wine had some intense flavor with good balance. The flavors were somewhat candied, and had essences of strawberry and rhubarb. The wine had a thick mouthfeel with limited acids and tannins. The finish was of moderate length. with a pleasant stemmy quality and notes of blackberry. I'd say it is well worth the about $25 that it cost

If there was a down side it was that it fought with our food quite a bit. We were having a tortellini with prosciutto. It just didn't work at all. I guess that just means that we had more time to admire it after dinner.