Campo De Borja, Aragon, Spain
16% Alcohol
Tasted 2015-11-29
Deep, nearly impenetrable cherry red. Rich aromas of blackberries and dark cherries. Essences of gingerbread hearts paired with cold tobacco and some sweet BBQ smoke. The high alcohol is already recognizable in the smell. A little bit too much? Let's see. The first sip is gorgeous and with a lot of discrepancies which are wonderfully combined in a long and extremely smooth finish. What do I mean with discrepancies? The wine is on the one hand aggressive due to its youth but on the other hand velvety as a result of the already perfectly integrated alcohol. So the answer is clear - the alcohol is not too high. Next the tannins are clearly present and need to be better integrated in the coming years. But together with the strong smoke taste these tannins develop a great fleshy power which tells you: "Give me a rich BBQ! I can handle...". And indeed this is our plan for dinner. First I will decant this power packet. I will come back after dinner...
Two hours later. My wife prepared a nice pulled pork BBQ which wonderfully harmonises with the wine. In the meantime the Alto Moncayo became smoother, more charming. And the smokiness is transformed into a real fruit bomb. As mentioned the smoke is now a little bit reduced. Instead textures of red fruit jelly are present. This sweetness gives the BBQ the perfect touch. An outstanding pairing! Drink this Garnacha monster in the next five years - or simply open a bottle for the coming Holiday dinner.
Saturday, November 28. 2015
2012 Terre di Campo Sasso Terre Vecchio Vigneto (90/100)
Manduria, Apulia, Italy
Primitivo, Syrah, Malvasia Nera
14% Alcohol
Tasted 2015-11-08 & 2015-11-17
Clear medium dark cherry red. Extremely fruity notes of morello cherries with some "Christmas" spices. A touch of sweet pickled fruits. In addition some dark chocolate and cold tobacco. A little bit astringent but this is definitely due to its youth and totally gone after three hours. Very pleasant. So let's see for the taste. On the palate the massive fruit aromas of the wine are exploding and it becomes immediately clear that in the glass in front of me there is an Italian variant of a classical Zin-dominated blend from California - but with less alcohol. This is definitely no traditional Primitivo. The style is New World-oriented - which is not bad, but at the first glance a little bit surprising.
Frequent readers of my blog perhaps remember that I described about one year ago the 2009 Primitivo Di Manduria from Terre di Campo Sasso. As I mentioned this is a joint project of some oenologists with vintners from Apulia and Sicily. If you check the website of the project you can find some interesting facts. More than 200 family-oriented wine growers are part of this project and operate their vineyards strictly according to the notions and directions of the responsable oenologist. The sensational thing here is the fact that exactly in this more traditional area this approach works! And indeed the website also mentions the problems at the beginning, e. g., the resistance to new methods, etc. But if in the end a wine like the Terre Vecchio Vigneto is created only one statement is possible - mission accomplished.
Like the Primitivo Di Manduria the Terre is also available at Johann's Gschmacksach" (http://johanns-gschmacksach.de/) and the price of 16.90 € (17.90 $) is absolutely fair for this beauty. Especially in Christmas time a hot buy and a wonderful present for wine lovers - also the advanced ones. Integrate the wine into your Christmas Day dinner for instance as the accompanying partner for a wonderful roast saddle of venison with cranberry sauce and the Holidays will be really peaceful. No haste - the wine can wait for another three to five years.
Primitivo, Syrah, Malvasia Nera
14% Alcohol
Tasted 2015-11-08 & 2015-11-17
Clear medium dark cherry red. Extremely fruity notes of morello cherries with some "Christmas" spices. A touch of sweet pickled fruits. In addition some dark chocolate and cold tobacco. A little bit astringent but this is definitely due to its youth and totally gone after three hours. Very pleasant. So let's see for the taste. On the palate the massive fruit aromas of the wine are exploding and it becomes immediately clear that in the glass in front of me there is an Italian variant of a classical Zin-dominated blend from California - but with less alcohol. This is definitely no traditional Primitivo. The style is New World-oriented - which is not bad, but at the first glance a little bit surprising.
Frequent readers of my blog perhaps remember that I described about one year ago the 2009 Primitivo Di Manduria from Terre di Campo Sasso. As I mentioned this is a joint project of some oenologists with vintners from Apulia and Sicily. If you check the website of the project you can find some interesting facts. More than 200 family-oriented wine growers are part of this project and operate their vineyards strictly according to the notions and directions of the responsable oenologist. The sensational thing here is the fact that exactly in this more traditional area this approach works! And indeed the website also mentions the problems at the beginning, e. g., the resistance to new methods, etc. But if in the end a wine like the Terre Vecchio Vigneto is created only one statement is possible - mission accomplished.
Like the Primitivo Di Manduria the Terre is also available at Johann's Gschmacksach" (http://johanns-gschmacksach.de/) and the price of 16.90 € (17.90 $) is absolutely fair for this beauty. Especially in Christmas time a hot buy and a wonderful present for wine lovers - also the advanced ones. Integrate the wine into your Christmas Day dinner for instance as the accompanying partner for a wonderful roast saddle of venison with cranberry sauce and the Holidays will be really peaceful. No haste - the wine can wait for another three to five years.
Friday, October 2. 2015
2012 Cabs VI: Roberts + Rogers (91/100)
2012 Roberts + Rogers "Louer Family Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena, Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 15.4 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 49.99
Tasted: 2015-09-29, 2015-09-30 & 2015-10-02
Ratings: WS 92/100
Medium ruby to cherry red. At the beginning a little bit liqueur-like, but with some air complex aromas of several dark fruits paired with licorice and earthy herbal notes arise. The first sip offers ripe blackberries which suddenly explode in a sensational mixture of tobacco, cold black tea and black pepper. Very good!
The name Roberts + Rogers bases on the names of Robert Young and Roger Louer. These two friends decided in 1999 to establish a "Cabernet Sauvignon wine brand, sourcing the grapes from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California. The first vintage of Roberts + Rogers, Howell Mountain was the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, released in 2007 with around 300 cases available." (http://www.robertsandrogers.com/) The 2012 vintage is the first release under the Roberts + Rogers label.
I know what most people will immediately complain about - the alcohol. But to be honest: I don't care. If the alcohol is integrated in such an outstanding way as winemaker Barry Gnekow did for this Cab, then this is not a problem. The plan was to see what would happen four days after opening. The wine didn't fall apart. Very often after this time frame only bitter alcohol is tasteable. Not here. The wine is still smooth, elegant and very harmonic. Kudos!
You can drink the wine now (after two hours decanting) or in ten years. The result will be the same: A tremendous Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon experience. Pair this power pack with Smoked Beef Brisket.
St. Helena, Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 15.4 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 49.99
Tasted: 2015-09-29, 2015-09-30 & 2015-10-02
Ratings: WS 92/100
Great Stuff - the 2012 Roberts + Rogers "Louer Family Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon
Medium ruby to cherry red. At the beginning a little bit liqueur-like, but with some air complex aromas of several dark fruits paired with licorice and earthy herbal notes arise. The first sip offers ripe blackberries which suddenly explode in a sensational mixture of tobacco, cold black tea and black pepper. Very good!
The name Roberts + Rogers bases on the names of Robert Young and Roger Louer. These two friends decided in 1999 to establish a "Cabernet Sauvignon wine brand, sourcing the grapes from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California. The first vintage of Roberts + Rogers, Howell Mountain was the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, released in 2007 with around 300 cases available." (http://www.robertsandrogers.com/) The 2012 vintage is the first release under the Roberts + Rogers label.
I know what most people will immediately complain about - the alcohol. But to be honest: I don't care. If the alcohol is integrated in such an outstanding way as winemaker Barry Gnekow did for this Cab, then this is not a problem. The plan was to see what would happen four days after opening. The wine didn't fall apart. Very often after this time frame only bitter alcohol is tasteable. Not here. The wine is still smooth, elegant and very harmonic. Kudos!
You can drink the wine now (after two hours decanting) or in ten years. The result will be the same: A tremendous Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon experience. Pair this power pack with Smoked Beef Brisket.
Wednesday, September 30. 2015
2012 Cabs V: Provenance Vineyards (88/100)
2012 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.9 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 28.49
Tasted: 2015-09-29
Ratings: -
Deep dark cherry red. Heavy in the glass. Surprisingly concentrated. Lots of black fruits, cherries and black pepper. Delicious. Needs one hour decanting. On the palate cajoling; the fruits are dominating. Already very well developed with nicely integrated tannins. A real recommendation if you like to drink a young Cab with a remarkable body. The finish is medium to long and very smooth up to the end. Of course easy drinking, but on a very high level.
I like the philosophy behind the Provenance winemaking: "Our goal is to showcase the distinctiveness of Napa Valley's best growing areas. Great wines start in the vineyard, so we've selected top vineyards and intervene as little as possible during the winemaking process. We gently guide the grapes into wine, striving to bring out the personality, complexity and uniqueness of each vineyard and vintage. Provenance wines offer a balance of elegance and substance with deep, intense flavors that reflect the vineyards where the grapes were grown. We craft these age-worthy wines to be approachable upon release to the public." (http://www.provenancevineyards.com/) All this I could taste in this beginner Cab of the winery - and for me it would be very interesting to see the quality of the "higher-level" Cabs of Provenance. By the way: "The word 'Provenance' (rhymes with renaissance) is derived from the French language, and means origin or source".
This is a very good Napa Valley beginners Cab. You can get it in nearly every grocery or wine shop and you can't do anything wrong buying one, two or more bottles of this honest wine. If you are looking for a high-level partner to your bison, ground beef or lamb burger... do it.
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.9 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 28.49
Tasted: 2015-09-29
Ratings: -
A good and fair priced Napa Valley Cab - the 2012 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
Deep dark cherry red. Heavy in the glass. Surprisingly concentrated. Lots of black fruits, cherries and black pepper. Delicious. Needs one hour decanting. On the palate cajoling; the fruits are dominating. Already very well developed with nicely integrated tannins. A real recommendation if you like to drink a young Cab with a remarkable body. The finish is medium to long and very smooth up to the end. Of course easy drinking, but on a very high level.
I like the philosophy behind the Provenance winemaking: "Our goal is to showcase the distinctiveness of Napa Valley's best growing areas. Great wines start in the vineyard, so we've selected top vineyards and intervene as little as possible during the winemaking process. We gently guide the grapes into wine, striving to bring out the personality, complexity and uniqueness of each vineyard and vintage. Provenance wines offer a balance of elegance and substance with deep, intense flavors that reflect the vineyards where the grapes were grown. We craft these age-worthy wines to be approachable upon release to the public." (http://www.provenancevineyards.com/) All this I could taste in this beginner Cab of the winery - and for me it would be very interesting to see the quality of the "higher-level" Cabs of Provenance. By the way: "The word 'Provenance' (rhymes with renaissance) is derived from the French language, and means origin or source".
This is a very good Napa Valley beginners Cab. You can get it in nearly every grocery or wine shop and you can't do anything wrong buying one, two or more bottles of this honest wine. If you are looking for a high-level partner to your bison, ground beef or lamb burger... do it.
Sunday, September 27. 2015
2012 Cabs IV: Liparita Cellars (91/100)
2012 Liparita Cellars V Block Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.9 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 39.99
Tasted: 2015-09-24 & 2015-09-25
Ratings: WA 88/100
Deep, dark cherry red. Intensive aromas of black fruits, some tree root and tart plum compote. Rich, creamy, and very sexy. Warm and pleasant taste. The plum compote is present all the time up to the very long finish which is accompanied by a wonderful acidity after swallowing. This is a wonderful Napa Valley Cab!
"Resurrecting the Ghost" - that's the motto on the Liparita website (http://www.liparita.com/). The reason for this motto is quite obvious: Liparita's long and successful history. The Liparita stone cellar was built in 1880 and still stands high atop Howell Mountain. Therefore Liparita is one of the "Ghost Wineries" - wineries that were built between 1860 and 1900. Liparita was awarded already 1900 in Paris and 1904 in St. Louis with gold and bronze medals!
Today the different Ghost Wineries have different faces. Some were simply abandoned, some were converted to shops, restaurants, etc., and others were renovated and used again in wine business. I will describe in a further entry the way the Hall winery is going.
Liparita was reinvented by proprietor Spencer Hoopes - a former lawyer and entrepreneur. His goal is to bring back Liparita to its former glory. And this 100 % pure Cab is a perfect statement. For the 2012 vintage fruits from 15 different sub-appellations of Napa Valley were blended - and the Liparita people did a great job. I love the warmness and the charm of the wine. It is a wonderful partner for an overwhelming Thanksgiving dinner. The delicate sweetness of the wine together with the turkey ... not from this world.
You can already drink this beauty, but you can also wait another five to seven years.
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.9 %
Bought: 2015-09-20 at CostCo
Price (w/o TAX 9.00 %): $ 39.99
Tasted: 2015-09-24 & 2015-09-25
Ratings: WA 88/100
Great stuff from a Ghost Winery: 2012 Liparita Cellars V Block Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep, dark cherry red. Intensive aromas of black fruits, some tree root and tart plum compote. Rich, creamy, and very sexy. Warm and pleasant taste. The plum compote is present all the time up to the very long finish which is accompanied by a wonderful acidity after swallowing. This is a wonderful Napa Valley Cab!
"Resurrecting the Ghost" - that's the motto on the Liparita website (http://www.liparita.com/). The reason for this motto is quite obvious: Liparita's long and successful history. The Liparita stone cellar was built in 1880 and still stands high atop Howell Mountain. Therefore Liparita is one of the "Ghost Wineries" - wineries that were built between 1860 and 1900. Liparita was awarded already 1900 in Paris and 1904 in St. Louis with gold and bronze medals!
Today the different Ghost Wineries have different faces. Some were simply abandoned, some were converted to shops, restaurants, etc., and others were renovated and used again in wine business. I will describe in a further entry the way the Hall winery is going.
Liparita was reinvented by proprietor Spencer Hoopes - a former lawyer and entrepreneur. His goal is to bring back Liparita to its former glory. And this 100 % pure Cab is a perfect statement. For the 2012 vintage fruits from 15 different sub-appellations of Napa Valley were blended - and the Liparita people did a great job. I love the warmness and the charm of the wine. It is a wonderful partner for an overwhelming Thanksgiving dinner. The delicate sweetness of the wine together with the turkey ... not from this world.
You can already drink this beauty, but you can also wait another five to seven years.
Monday, September 21. 2015
2012 Cabs III: Raymond Vineyard (86/100)
2012 Raymond Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection Napa Valley
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.5 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 22.49 ($ 39.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-20 & 2015-09-21
Ratings: -
Medium-deep cherry red. Stewed black fruits, a little bit bacon, forest floor with fallen branches covered in moss. Already well-developed. Very fruity with a special smoky aroma. Strong, pleasant and cajoling.
Since 2009 Raymond Vineyards is part of the French Boisset Family Estates (like Buena Vista and DeLoach). The Reserve Selection series is a classical brand for grocery stores or similar. You can't buy these wines in the online shop of the winery. This is a typical way wineries with good reputation go these days when owned by groups (cf. Robert Mondavi).
Usually I don't like these wines produced for the masses. Very rarely I can find in these wines something like a soul. However the 2012 Reserve Selection Cab is a good choice if you are looking for good Cab for a fair price (only the reduced one; the original Safeway price is far away from reality). You should drink it now or in the next two years. No decanting. Simply open the bottle for a nice Sunday NFL gameday BBQ. On the second day the wine was not any longer on the same level as directly after opening.
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.5 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 22.49 ($ 39.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-20 & 2015-09-21
Ratings: -
A good selection for an NFL gameday with friends: 2012 Raymond Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection
Medium-deep cherry red. Stewed black fruits, a little bit bacon, forest floor with fallen branches covered in moss. Already well-developed. Very fruity with a special smoky aroma. Strong, pleasant and cajoling.
Since 2009 Raymond Vineyards is part of the French Boisset Family Estates (like Buena Vista and DeLoach). The Reserve Selection series is a classical brand for grocery stores or similar. You can't buy these wines in the online shop of the winery. This is a typical way wineries with good reputation go these days when owned by groups (cf. Robert Mondavi).
Usually I don't like these wines produced for the masses. Very rarely I can find in these wines something like a soul. However the 2012 Reserve Selection Cab is a good choice if you are looking for good Cab for a fair price (only the reduced one; the original Safeway price is far away from reality). You should drink it now or in the next two years. No decanting. Simply open the bottle for a nice Sunday NFL gameday BBQ. On the second day the wine was not any longer on the same level as directly after opening.
Sunday, September 20. 2015
2012 Cabs II: Clos Du Val (86+/100)
2012 Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Napa Valley, California
82 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 % Cabernet Franc, 6 % Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot
61 % of the grapes came from the estate
Alcohol 14.1 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 26.09 ($ 39.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-18 & 2015-09-19
Ratings: -
Medium ruby red. Discrete aromas of sweet cherries, bacon, white pepper and a little bit leather. At the beginning fruity, but a little bit reduced. Then the tannins become more present, but not aggressive, more with a pretty acidity. Suddenly the sharpness of the white pepper takes the control and the spiciness comes to the foreground. Due to the more subtle smell and the unspectacular first point of contact on the palate this is surprising. Indeed the finish is the very best part of this more silent representative in this series. For the moment! Let's see if some air changes this.
Clos Du Val has a very good reputation. Also in Europe. And this is not only the case due to the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting. In this context it is remarkable that the 1972 Cab from Clos Du Val took the first place in the "rematch" organised 1986 by the French Culinary Institute. And indeed it is the Cab of Clos Du Val which is widely known. And this has of course something to do with the three estate vineyards which "include more than 30 different Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, with a variety of soil types and exposures, dozens of unique clone and rootstock combinations, and an array of vine ages." (www.closduval.com)
Seeing from this perspective the "first touch" with the 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a little bit disappointing. Even if it is only the "beginners" Cab of Clos Du Val. Tasting the wine the next day shows only nuances of changes. The smell is a little bit smoother and the overall picture more harmonic. But I can't get rid of the suspicion that the wine has currently a difficult phase. So it could be that in two or three years all jigsaw pieces will come together in a perfect way. Then buying the wine now at Safeway with the existing discount would be an outstanding bargain. Betting on the future .
If you want to drink the wine now I would pair it to a menu starter with lamb. Perhaps a traditional dish from Central Asia like Manti.
Napa Valley, California
82 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 9 % Cabernet Franc, 6 % Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot
61 % of the grapes came from the estate
Alcohol 14.1 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 26.09 ($ 39.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-18 & 2015-09-19
Ratings: -
A Cab with a famous name: 2012 Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Medium ruby red. Discrete aromas of sweet cherries, bacon, white pepper and a little bit leather. At the beginning fruity, but a little bit reduced. Then the tannins become more present, but not aggressive, more with a pretty acidity. Suddenly the sharpness of the white pepper takes the control and the spiciness comes to the foreground. Due to the more subtle smell and the unspectacular first point of contact on the palate this is surprising. Indeed the finish is the very best part of this more silent representative in this series. For the moment! Let's see if some air changes this.
Clos Du Val has a very good reputation. Also in Europe. And this is not only the case due to the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting. In this context it is remarkable that the 1972 Cab from Clos Du Val took the first place in the "rematch" organised 1986 by the French Culinary Institute. And indeed it is the Cab of Clos Du Val which is widely known. And this has of course something to do with the three estate vineyards which "include more than 30 different Cabernet Sauvignon blocks, with a variety of soil types and exposures, dozens of unique clone and rootstock combinations, and an array of vine ages." (www.closduval.com)
Seeing from this perspective the "first touch" with the 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a little bit disappointing. Even if it is only the "beginners" Cab of Clos Du Val. Tasting the wine the next day shows only nuances of changes. The smell is a little bit smoother and the overall picture more harmonic. But I can't get rid of the suspicion that the wine has currently a difficult phase. So it could be that in two or three years all jigsaw pieces will come together in a perfect way. Then buying the wine now at Safeway with the existing discount would be an outstanding bargain. Betting on the future .
If you want to drink the wine now I would pair it to a menu starter with lamb. Perhaps a traditional dish from Central Asia like Manti.
Friday, September 18. 2015
2012 Cabs I: Jamieson Ranch (90/100)
2012 Jamieson Ranch Vineyards Double Lariat Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.5 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 35.99 ($ 46.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-17 & 2015-09-18
Ratings: WA 88/100
Medium clear cherry red. Fruity. Morello cherries, red currants and a touch of melted dark chocolate. A certain sharpness behind the fruits. On the palate at the beginning a very spicy taste which converts after a while into a wonderful bouquet of red fruits. The finish is very long and far at the end the taste is changing again to a spectacular creamy and velvety "hovering" note. Not a typical California Cab, but a damn good wine.
For my valley vacation of this year I decided to create a small series of 2012 Napa and Sonoma Cabs entries. 2012 was an extraordinary vintage for North Coast Cabs. The wines are usually still very tannic but it is worth to get a first impression of the quality now. All California wines - not only the Cabs and not only from the North Coast - I tasted so far were amazing with huge potential.
For the series I gave me two simple rules - the wines must be available at grocery stores and from wineries I would not visit during my stay. Also I decided to give a little bit more fact information as usual, like the prices and votings from well-known critics. Especially the prices should be interpreted carefully. The original prices of the grocery stores are usually far from reality. These prices shall only give the buyer a good feeling due to the possible savings and shall convince the customer to become a club member. So I noted both prices - the original one and the one I paid after all savings without tax. For my European friends I also add the TAX value.
Furthermore it is worth to mention that buying a bottle of wine in a grocery store is usually not the same as buying the same wine on the winery. Bottles available in grocery stores are often special bottlings. There are several indications to recognize this: Bottles from the winery have an additional remark "Estate Grown" or different labels. But to be honest this is more academic. Important is only one thing: How good is the wine? Nothing more.
My first candidate was the 2012 Jamieson Ranch Vineyards Double Lariat Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn't know the winery so far - at least this was my opinion - but Safeway offered a nice saving (:-)) and the label on the back informed about a interesting fact: This Cab is barrel fermented and barrel aged. The idea of the winemaker for the extra step of barrel fermentation was to "weave together notes of toasted oak, anise, chocolate and raspberry into a seamless and silky blend that finishes with waves of richness". So far the information on the label.
At home I detected in the shop on the Jamieson website (http://www.jamiesonranchvineyards.com/) some other labels - amongst others Reata and Whiplash. Whiplash Chardonnays I bought in the past via auctions in Germany. The wines were OK but not more.
Totally different this Cab. Also on the second day the quality was remarkable. The wine was now more harmonic and didn't fall apart. Still very young. So I would recommend a two hours decanting time or simply cellar for another two years. Then it will be on the top for around three years.
I mentioned before that for my opinion this is not a typical Northern Coast Cab. And I also noted in previous entries that I do not totally support the general food pairing recommendation "steak and Cab". But if I ever drank the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon for a Rib eye, then this Jamieson is it.
Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.5 %
Bought: 2015-09-17 at Safeway
Price (w/o TAX 8.25 %): $ 35.99 ($ 46.99)
Tasted: 2015-09-17 & 2015-09-18
Ratings: WA 88/100
Medium clear cherry red. Fruity. Morello cherries, red currants and a touch of melted dark chocolate. A certain sharpness behind the fruits. On the palate at the beginning a very spicy taste which converts after a while into a wonderful bouquet of red fruits. The finish is very long and far at the end the taste is changing again to a spectacular creamy and velvety "hovering" note. Not a typical California Cab, but a damn good wine.
The first candidate - the 2012 Jamieson Ranch Vineyards Double Lariat Cabernet Sauvignon
For my valley vacation of this year I decided to create a small series of 2012 Napa and Sonoma Cabs entries. 2012 was an extraordinary vintage for North Coast Cabs. The wines are usually still very tannic but it is worth to get a first impression of the quality now. All California wines - not only the Cabs and not only from the North Coast - I tasted so far were amazing with huge potential.
For the series I gave me two simple rules - the wines must be available at grocery stores and from wineries I would not visit during my stay. Also I decided to give a little bit more fact information as usual, like the prices and votings from well-known critics. Especially the prices should be interpreted carefully. The original prices of the grocery stores are usually far from reality. These prices shall only give the buyer a good feeling due to the possible savings and shall convince the customer to become a club member. So I noted both prices - the original one and the one I paid after all savings without tax. For my European friends I also add the TAX value.
Furthermore it is worth to mention that buying a bottle of wine in a grocery store is usually not the same as buying the same wine on the winery. Bottles available in grocery stores are often special bottlings. There are several indications to recognize this: Bottles from the winery have an additional remark "Estate Grown" or different labels. But to be honest this is more academic. Important is only one thing: How good is the wine? Nothing more.
My first candidate was the 2012 Jamieson Ranch Vineyards Double Lariat Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn't know the winery so far - at least this was my opinion - but Safeway offered a nice saving (:-)) and the label on the back informed about a interesting fact: This Cab is barrel fermented and barrel aged. The idea of the winemaker for the extra step of barrel fermentation was to "weave together notes of toasted oak, anise, chocolate and raspberry into a seamless and silky blend that finishes with waves of richness". So far the information on the label.
At home I detected in the shop on the Jamieson website (http://www.jamiesonranchvineyards.com/) some other labels - amongst others Reata and Whiplash. Whiplash Chardonnays I bought in the past via auctions in Germany. The wines were OK but not more.
Totally different this Cab. Also on the second day the quality was remarkable. The wine was now more harmonic and didn't fall apart. Still very young. So I would recommend a two hours decanting time or simply cellar for another two years. Then it will be on the top for around three years.
I mentioned before that for my opinion this is not a typical Northern Coast Cab. And I also noted in previous entries that I do not totally support the general food pairing recommendation "steak and Cab". But if I ever drank the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon for a Rib eye, then this Jamieson is it.
Tuesday, September 15. 2015
2010 Arrowood Chardonnay Réserve Spéciale (91/100)
Sonoma County, California
14.1 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-09-04
Deep golden-yellow. Wonderful vanilla tones paired with pineapple and Jonagold apple. Creamy, wide flavor spectrum and full-bodied. Very, very long. Remains further three years on this level. Total lifetime another ten years.
This bottle was offered as part of a tasting with friends in a nice steak house in Pforzheim. I didn't expect too much. The last bottle I drunk two years ago. At this time the wine was OK but not more. Reduced flavors and aromas. Short. Far away from the quality that was recognizable when I tasted the wine at the winery. But now? Total difference. A wonderful example of massive Californian Chardonnay in an absolutely positive sense. A wine which tells you: "I am great and strong. Can you handle that?" We could. This was the only bottle emptied after the dinner.
In the restaurant we paired the wine with grilled prawns. Result? Life is good.
14.1 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-09-04
Deep golden-yellow. Wonderful vanilla tones paired with pineapple and Jonagold apple. Creamy, wide flavor spectrum and full-bodied. Very, very long. Remains further three years on this level. Total lifetime another ten years.
This bottle was offered as part of a tasting with friends in a nice steak house in Pforzheim. I didn't expect too much. The last bottle I drunk two years ago. At this time the wine was OK but not more. Reduced flavors and aromas. Short. Far away from the quality that was recognizable when I tasted the wine at the winery. But now? Total difference. A wonderful example of massive Californian Chardonnay in an absolutely positive sense. A wine which tells you: "I am great and strong. Can you handle that?" We could. This was the only bottle emptied after the dinner.
In the restaurant we paired the wine with grilled prawns. Result? Life is good.
Thursday, August 27. 2015
Le Petit Haut Lafitte (91/100)
Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
59 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 10 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot
14 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-25, 2015-08-26 & 2015-08-27
Imperviously dark cherry red. Directly after opening some sauerkraut notes which evaporate quickly. Then sour cherries. Or better dark choccolate filled with sour cherries. On the palate tart, some bitter notes. These are not the tannins. Something different I can't recognize. Perhaps resin? Mmh. Let's wait.
The next day. Very closed, slightly resinous aromas with the sour cherries more in the background. Earthy. The taste is now more fruity but still with the resins lying somewhere under the carpet. Never tasted something like this. Mmh. Let's wait. Again.
The third day. The big surprise. Now totally balanced aromas. Sour cherries, black chocolate, a little bit chili and black tea. I would say "warm smell" - if anyone understands what I mean. Extremely fruity, full bodied with a lot of spices far at the end of the very long finish. Crazy, really crazy.
This second wine of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte is not an easy drinking wine. You can drink it now and it will provide a lot of fun - after minimum eight hours decanting. Then this is the wine for Christmas Eve when all visitors have left. Sit down in your arm chair, pick up the bottle you decanted hours before and hid. Raise your glass and say: "Merry Christmas" - and this is the truth.
Food pairing? Difficult. I would simply enjoy one or two pieces of medium-dark chocolate. As I said after hours of decanting you can drink the Le Petit. You can also wait another five years. Less decanting, but the style will not change I could bet.
59 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 % Merlot, 10 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot
14 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-25, 2015-08-26 & 2015-08-27
Imperviously dark cherry red. Directly after opening some sauerkraut notes which evaporate quickly. Then sour cherries. Or better dark choccolate filled with sour cherries. On the palate tart, some bitter notes. These are not the tannins. Something different I can't recognize. Perhaps resin? Mmh. Let's wait.
The next day. Very closed, slightly resinous aromas with the sour cherries more in the background. Earthy. The taste is now more fruity but still with the resins lying somewhere under the carpet. Never tasted something like this. Mmh. Let's wait. Again.
The third day. The big surprise. Now totally balanced aromas. Sour cherries, black chocolate, a little bit chili and black tea. I would say "warm smell" - if anyone understands what I mean. Extremely fruity, full bodied with a lot of spices far at the end of the very long finish. Crazy, really crazy.
This second wine of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte is not an easy drinking wine. You can drink it now and it will provide a lot of fun - after minimum eight hours decanting. Then this is the wine for Christmas Eve when all visitors have left. Sit down in your arm chair, pick up the bottle you decanted hours before and hid. Raise your glass and say: "Merry Christmas" - and this is the truth.
Food pairing? Difficult. I would simply enjoy one or two pieces of medium-dark chocolate. As I said after hours of decanting you can drink the Le Petit. You can also wait another five years. Less decanting, but the style will not change I could bet.
Tuesday, August 25. 2015
2012 Roc De Cambes (94/100)
Côtes De Bourg, Bordeaux, France
80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon
14 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-23, 2015-08-24 & 2015-08-25
Medium deep cherry red. At the beginning some vegetable notes. Needs lot of air. Then the nose - slowly - transfers to perfume and flower notes. Finally the fruit aromas arise. Blackberries, cherries falling down from the trees to the meadows, a little bit of smoked ham. Animalistic and wild. Totally contrary on the palate. By far not as aggressive as induced by the smell. Charming, harmonic, with present but wonderfully integrated tannins. Opulent with very long finish and very, very sexy. Already well drinkable - after minimum one hour decanting.
The next (two) days. Aromas now have changing completely. Vegatable aromas totally gone. Only black fruits paired with a little bit of licorice and cold cigar smoke. Pure eroticism. And on the palate? Mercilessly velvety and never ending. Thanks, MH, to recommend this wonderful beauty. So my recommendation with one hour decanting was wrong. Four hours minimum at the moment. But with this constraint the wine provides infinite joy already now and for the next three years. After that changing but on high level. Total lifetime? 15 years minimum. Wine food pairing? Beef Stroganoff! A dream!
80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon
14 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-23, 2015-08-24 & 2015-08-25
Medium deep cherry red. At the beginning some vegetable notes. Needs lot of air. Then the nose - slowly - transfers to perfume and flower notes. Finally the fruit aromas arise. Blackberries, cherries falling down from the trees to the meadows, a little bit of smoked ham. Animalistic and wild. Totally contrary on the palate. By far not as aggressive as induced by the smell. Charming, harmonic, with present but wonderfully integrated tannins. Opulent with very long finish and very, very sexy. Already well drinkable - after minimum one hour decanting.
The next (two) days. Aromas now have changing completely. Vegatable aromas totally gone. Only black fruits paired with a little bit of licorice and cold cigar smoke. Pure eroticism. And on the palate? Mercilessly velvety and never ending. Thanks, MH, to recommend this wonderful beauty. So my recommendation with one hour decanting was wrong. Four hours minimum at the moment. But with this constraint the wine provides infinite joy already now and for the next three years. After that changing but on high level. Total lifetime? 15 years minimum. Wine food pairing? Beef Stroganoff! A dream!
Saturday, August 22. 2015
2012 Les Hauts De Pontet-Canet (92/100)
Vin De France
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-20 & 2015-08-21
Deep dark and bright cherry red. Extreme black cherry aromas paired with a touch of licorice and very dark rose petals. In addition a fleshy note which adds to this decadent (in positive sense) smell an animalistic character. On the palate an insane blackberry flash with a terrific smooth and long finish. That's brave, crazy and awesome.
The "Les Hauts De Pontet-Canet" is the second wine of the Pauillac winery Château Pontet-Canet. For the AOC Pauillac an independent company named "Qualisud" is assigned to check the wines of the AOC for instance for "typicality" of the AOC. These checks are done by a jury of five independent experts who are not be paid for this activity. For the 2012 "Les Hauts De Pontet-Canet" this jury stated that the wine does not follow the Pauillac rules for typicality. As a consequence the Château is not allowed to sell the wine with the remark AOC Pauillac on the label. It needed to be declassified to "Vin De France".
Hm. During a California wine tasting I offered this wine as a pirate blind to a friend. He immediately recognized that this must be a Bordeaux wine. And I could bet if I had not told him that at this moment where the wine comes from he would also have recognized the Left Bank family or even more. And again it is allowed to ask if such a jury makes sense or not.
However it is definitely correct that is different to other Pauillac wines in terms of the addressed audience. You can and you should drink it young. At the moment this wine offers such extreme hedonistic joy that it would be shame to avoid this. On the other hand the quality of the Pontet-Canet premium was raised so dramatically in the last decade, accompanied by a tremendous aging potential, that it would be interesting to keep track of this development. I have to think about this - and perhaps buy more:-).
At the moment I would pair it with French breast of duck with port wine sauce.
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-20 & 2015-08-21
Deep dark and bright cherry red. Extreme black cherry aromas paired with a touch of licorice and very dark rose petals. In addition a fleshy note which adds to this decadent (in positive sense) smell an animalistic character. On the palate an insane blackberry flash with a terrific smooth and long finish. That's brave, crazy and awesome.
The "Les Hauts De Pontet-Canet" is the second wine of the Pauillac winery Château Pontet-Canet. For the AOC Pauillac an independent company named "Qualisud" is assigned to check the wines of the AOC for instance for "typicality" of the AOC. These checks are done by a jury of five independent experts who are not be paid for this activity. For the 2012 "Les Hauts De Pontet-Canet" this jury stated that the wine does not follow the Pauillac rules for typicality. As a consequence the Château is not allowed to sell the wine with the remark AOC Pauillac on the label. It needed to be declassified to "Vin De France".
Hm. During a California wine tasting I offered this wine as a pirate blind to a friend. He immediately recognized that this must be a Bordeaux wine. And I could bet if I had not told him that at this moment where the wine comes from he would also have recognized the Left Bank family or even more. And again it is allowed to ask if such a jury makes sense or not.
However it is definitely correct that is different to other Pauillac wines in terms of the addressed audience. You can and you should drink it young. At the moment this wine offers such extreme hedonistic joy that it would be shame to avoid this. On the other hand the quality of the Pontet-Canet premium was raised so dramatically in the last decade, accompanied by a tremendous aging potential, that it would be interesting to keep track of this development. I have to think about this - and perhaps buy more:-).
At the moment I would pair it with French breast of duck with port wine sauce.
Tuesday, August 18. 2015
2011 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon "Stags Leap District" (90/100)
Napa Valley, California
14.5 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-16
Medium-deep cherry red. Still very young with a lot of tannins. But not aggressive - neither its smell nor its taste. The first impression is very earthy. In the next moment aromas of cedar wood and blackberries. Rich and heavy. On the palate more playful. Good structure by the tannins. Still some bitter notes, but very charming at the end where the fruit notes and some "chilly chocolate" take control. Long and pleasant finish.
Wait. The wine is still too young. Even if it provides already a lot of fun. I decanted this Cab for two hours. My résumé? Wait. Minimum two years, perhaps more. A very famous wine magazine wrote in October 2014: "Drink now!" Sometimes I can't understand the critics. Of course this is not a 100 point wine, but it is definitely a very, very good Napa Cab. With a lot of potential - quite surprising for this very difficult vintage for Napa Cabs. So give it a chance. I have a second bottle in my cellar - and I am really lucky. I will look for more later in the year when I will visit the area again. Pair it with a nice stew.
By the way: It is worth to visit the tasting room of the winery. The people are friendly and competent, the tasting fee reasonable for Napa. I visited the winery twice and both times it was great
14.5 % Alcohol
Tasted 2015-08-16
Medium-deep cherry red. Still very young with a lot of tannins. But not aggressive - neither its smell nor its taste. The first impression is very earthy. In the next moment aromas of cedar wood and blackberries. Rich and heavy. On the palate more playful. Good structure by the tannins. Still some bitter notes, but very charming at the end where the fruit notes and some "chilly chocolate" take control. Long and pleasant finish.
Wait. The wine is still too young. Even if it provides already a lot of fun. I decanted this Cab for two hours. My résumé? Wait. Minimum two years, perhaps more. A very famous wine magazine wrote in October 2014: "Drink now!" Sometimes I can't understand the critics. Of course this is not a 100 point wine, but it is definitely a very, very good Napa Cab. With a lot of potential - quite surprising for this very difficult vintage for Napa Cabs. So give it a chance. I have a second bottle in my cellar - and I am really lucky. I will look for more later in the year when I will visit the area again. Pair it with a nice stew.
By the way: It is worth to visit the tasting room of the winery. The people are friendly and competent, the tasting fee reasonable for Napa. I visited the winery twice and both times it was great
Sunday, August 16. 2015
Weingut Theo Minges
Bachstrasse 11
76835 Flemlingen
Germany
http://www.weingut-minges.com/
Tasting: 2015-08-08
Nearly one year after my last visit to a German winery, last weekend we found a little time to visit the Weingut Theo Minges in the wine region Pfalz. From Speyer we drove to the small and sleepy village Flemlingen on a very hot Saturday afternoon. We reached the winery around 2pm and when we left the car the first thing what we recognized was ... silence. Indeed we were at this time the only guests. All forenoon guests already left and for all others it seemed that it was too hot. So we had the good fortune that Regine Minges - the very charming daughter of owner Theo Minges - had for the next hour all the time in the world to present the great wines of the winery.
Intermezzo
As I write this I have opened two bottles of the wines I bought at the Minges winery - the 2014 Scheurebe Feinherb and the 2011 Merlot QbA dry. From time to time I will interrupt my report to reflect about these two nice wines.
But coming back to the Weingut Minges - and some words about the history of the winery. Until the 16th century the family estate was owned by the Counts von der Leyen. The family Minges prepares wine for at least eight generations. Starting with the sixth generation (1847) the family resides in the estate in Flemlingen. Today the winery produces approx. 180,000 bottles per year from the varietals Riesling (35 %), White Burgundy (20 %), Pinot Noir (12 %), Scheurebe (8 %) and others (25 %).
All these varietals can be found on the wine menu which is impressive. My careful question which wines could be tasted today was answered very simple: "What's there is open. What not will not be opened." Perfect philosophy. So we started with the sparkling wine. We tasted the 2012 Riesling brut and the 2012 Pinot brut (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Whereas the Riesling is a classical aperitif (apricots, nuttily, fresh) the Pinot would be a perfect partner for a traditional Tandoori dish. Yellow peaches, nectarines and very creamy.
Fine. But now the Rieslings. As introduction we started with 2014 Riesling Feinherb. Good selection. Satiny and elegant. A very good selection by Regine Minges to prepare our palates for the two "Große Gewächse". We selected these two flagships directly due to weather conditions and the remaining programme. The two dry Rieslings 2012 and 2013 Gleisweiler Hölle GG represent in an impressive way the two very different vintages. Both outstanding, both very mineral, but totally different by design. The 2012 already very charming, offering young peaches and apricots. Juicy and corpulent. The 2013 is more difficult. At the beginning reluctant, but with more aggressive minerals. It will need its time. A masterpiece for the difficult vintage. I like both variants.
Intermezzo
2014 Theo Minges Scheurebe Feinherb
Alcohol 11 %
Writing makes you thirsty. So coming back to the Scheurebe. Pale yellow green, slightly sparkling with some streaks. Lots of lychees, gooseberries and Granny Smith apples. On the palate the ripe gooseberries are dominating. Despite - or perhaps because of - the residual sugar immensely tangy and fresh. A summer wine at its best with a surprisingly long finish. Far at the end very creamy. Drink this wonderful Scheurebe latest in 2016 and pair it with light Asian summer food. Or simply as an aperitif instead of sparkling wine.
On the winery we skipped the Silvaner, the Pinot blanc and the Pinot gris. We continued with two Chardonnays - the 2014 Chardonnay dry and the 2011 Chardonnay "Kalkmergel". The 2014 was fermented in stainless steel tanks and is wonderfully creamy. Minerally. Aromas of grapefruit and lemons. Medium long finish. The 2011 "Kalkmergel" was matured in wood. From style perspective it is similar to a Löwengang Chardonnay from Lageder. Deep golden yellow; vanilla and some flower notes. Creamy. Not really expected to get such a wine in the Pfalz!
Together with the Chardonnays suddenly a lot of guests arrived at the winery. But we didn't care - and changed to the Scheurebe wines. As I mentioned before 8 % of the total production of the winery bases on the Scheurebe grape. This is more than five times as much as the Pfalz average (1.5 %). So it is allowed to say that wines prepared from this grape are a speciality from the Weingut Minges. And indeed all the wines are from high quality which identify the singularity of the varietal depending on the chosen style. But before...
Intermezzo
...I have to decant the Merlot!
Besides the 2014 Scheurebe Feinherb I currently enjoy we tasted at the winery the 2014 Scheurebe "Gleisweiler" dry and the 2014 Scheurebe Late Harvest. The dry version offers a straw yellow colour and a wonderful lemon aroma. A perfect partner for a nice fish dish or - even better - mussels. The Late Harvest (9.5 % alcohol!) is also slightly sparkling and extremely fruity. Mandarin extreme! I should mention that I bought some bottles from all three wines.
Intermezzo
2011 Theo Minges Merlot QbA dry
Alcohol 13.5 %
Let's take a first sip. Medium to deep cherry red. Blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked bacon and a little bit cocoa. Still very young with a lot of "green" notes induced by the tannins. These are also clearly noticeable on the palate where the black fruits are dominating. Medium to long finish. This strong Merlot will reach its optimal drinking maturity after 2 to 5 years. Don't drink it earlier! At the moment two hours decanting minimum. Due to its strength I could bet that it is a wonderful partner for Shepherd's Pie prepared with lamb. Great British-German crossover cuisine!
The last Scheurebe was the perfect bridge for the next flight - a great mixture of residual sweetness and high-quality sweet wines. In total we tasted the following ones:
- 2014 Riesling Cabinet (9.5 % alc.)
- 2014 Rieslaner Late Harvest (10.0 % alc.)
- 2014 Gewürztraminer Late Harvest (9.0 % alc.)
- 2012 Riesling Auslese "Goldkapsel" (9.0 % alc.)
- 2013 Rieslaner Auslese (9.0 % alc.)
- 2012 Gewürztraminer Auslese "Flemlinger Herrenbuckel" (13.0 % alc.)
All of them were remarkable for their quality. Clean, pure and juicy. Pointing out the particular varietal's characteristics. It becomes obvious that for these kind of wines the Minges family pay special attention. My personal favorite was the Gewürztraminer "Flemlinger Herrenbuckel". Deep golden yellow, lychee extreme, some toffee and whisky notes. Tremendous potential!
Finally we tasted some of the red wines. Also here we skipped some varietals: Portugieser, Dornfelder and Saint Laurent. We started with the 2012 Pinot Noir "Tradition" QbA dry. Crystal-clear ruby red with a very dscreet raspberry aroma. A perfect starter for the four reds matured in barrique:
- 2011 Merlot QbA dry
- 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon QbA dry
- 2011 Cabernet Franc QbA dry
- 2011 Cuvée "Eva" QbA dry - the Bordeaux-style blend of the winery (one third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot)
Like the Merlot I describe before all of them are extremely young and of course "too green" to drink them now. Even decanting would only help with the Merlot which is the most developed so far. The potential is there, but you need patience. I decided to buy six bottles of the Merlot. The main reason was that German wines of this grape with this high quality are rare to find. This was confirmed with the bottle I tasted during the creation of this entry. The wine developed every single minute in the glass and I enjoyed every single sip.
PS: A few words about the aging quality of the Minges wines. Regine Minges told us about her planned wedding next year. She will indulge her guests with some bottles of the 2003 Cab she still stores in her cellar. Some people already told that they would only come to taste this wine...
76835 Flemlingen
Germany
http://www.weingut-minges.com/
Tasting: 2015-08-08
Nearly one year after my last visit to a German winery, last weekend we found a little time to visit the Weingut Theo Minges in the wine region Pfalz. From Speyer we drove to the small and sleepy village Flemlingen on a very hot Saturday afternoon. We reached the winery around 2pm and when we left the car the first thing what we recognized was ... silence. Indeed we were at this time the only guests. All forenoon guests already left and for all others it seemed that it was too hot. So we had the good fortune that Regine Minges - the very charming daughter of owner Theo Minges - had for the next hour all the time in the world to present the great wines of the winery.
Intermezzo
As I write this I have opened two bottles of the wines I bought at the Minges winery - the 2014 Scheurebe Feinherb and the 2011 Merlot QbA dry. From time to time I will interrupt my report to reflect about these two nice wines.
But coming back to the Weingut Minges - and some words about the history of the winery. Until the 16th century the family estate was owned by the Counts von der Leyen. The family Minges prepares wine for at least eight generations. Starting with the sixth generation (1847) the family resides in the estate in Flemlingen. Today the winery produces approx. 180,000 bottles per year from the varietals Riesling (35 %), White Burgundy (20 %), Pinot Noir (12 %), Scheurebe (8 %) and others (25 %).
All these varietals can be found on the wine menu which is impressive. My careful question which wines could be tasted today was answered very simple: "What's there is open. What not will not be opened." Perfect philosophy. So we started with the sparkling wine. We tasted the 2012 Riesling brut and the 2012 Pinot brut (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Whereas the Riesling is a classical aperitif (apricots, nuttily, fresh) the Pinot would be a perfect partner for a traditional Tandoori dish. Yellow peaches, nectarines and very creamy.
Fine. But now the Rieslings. As introduction we started with 2014 Riesling Feinherb. Good selection. Satiny and elegant. A very good selection by Regine Minges to prepare our palates for the two "Große Gewächse". We selected these two flagships directly due to weather conditions and the remaining programme. The two dry Rieslings 2012 and 2013 Gleisweiler Hölle GG represent in an impressive way the two very different vintages. Both outstanding, both very mineral, but totally different by design. The 2012 already very charming, offering young peaches and apricots. Juicy and corpulent. The 2013 is more difficult. At the beginning reluctant, but with more aggressive minerals. It will need its time. A masterpiece for the difficult vintage. I like both variants.
Intermezzo
After lunch break suddenly the winery was well visites.
2014 Theo Minges Scheurebe Feinherb
Alcohol 11 %
Writing makes you thirsty. So coming back to the Scheurebe. Pale yellow green, slightly sparkling with some streaks. Lots of lychees, gooseberries and Granny Smith apples. On the palate the ripe gooseberries are dominating. Despite - or perhaps because of - the residual sugar immensely tangy and fresh. A summer wine at its best with a surprisingly long finish. Far at the end very creamy. Drink this wonderful Scheurebe latest in 2016 and pair it with light Asian summer food. Or simply as an aperitif instead of sparkling wine.
On the winery we skipped the Silvaner, the Pinot blanc and the Pinot gris. We continued with two Chardonnays - the 2014 Chardonnay dry and the 2011 Chardonnay "Kalkmergel". The 2014 was fermented in stainless steel tanks and is wonderfully creamy. Minerally. Aromas of grapefruit and lemons. Medium long finish. The 2011 "Kalkmergel" was matured in wood. From style perspective it is similar to a Löwengang Chardonnay from Lageder. Deep golden yellow; vanilla and some flower notes. Creamy. Not really expected to get such a wine in the Pfalz!
Together with the Chardonnays suddenly a lot of guests arrived at the winery. But we didn't care - and changed to the Scheurebe wines. As I mentioned before 8 % of the total production of the winery bases on the Scheurebe grape. This is more than five times as much as the Pfalz average (1.5 %). So it is allowed to say that wines prepared from this grape are a speciality from the Weingut Minges. And indeed all the wines are from high quality which identify the singularity of the varietal depending on the chosen style. But before...
Intermezzo
...I have to decant the Merlot!
Besides the 2014 Scheurebe Feinherb I currently enjoy we tasted at the winery the 2014 Scheurebe "Gleisweiler" dry and the 2014 Scheurebe Late Harvest. The dry version offers a straw yellow colour and a wonderful lemon aroma. A perfect partner for a nice fish dish or - even better - mussels. The Late Harvest (9.5 % alcohol!) is also slightly sparkling and extremely fruity. Mandarin extreme! I should mention that I bought some bottles from all three wines.
This guest was more looking for the bread instead for the Scheurebe.
Intermezzo
2011 Theo Minges Merlot QbA dry
Alcohol 13.5 %
Let's take a first sip. Medium to deep cherry red. Blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked bacon and a little bit cocoa. Still very young with a lot of "green" notes induced by the tannins. These are also clearly noticeable on the palate where the black fruits are dominating. Medium to long finish. This strong Merlot will reach its optimal drinking maturity after 2 to 5 years. Don't drink it earlier! At the moment two hours decanting minimum. Due to its strength I could bet that it is a wonderful partner for Shepherd's Pie prepared with lamb. Great British-German crossover cuisine!
The last Scheurebe was the perfect bridge for the next flight - a great mixture of residual sweetness and high-quality sweet wines. In total we tasted the following ones:
- 2014 Riesling Cabinet (9.5 % alc.)
- 2014 Rieslaner Late Harvest (10.0 % alc.)
- 2014 Gewürztraminer Late Harvest (9.0 % alc.)
- 2012 Riesling Auslese "Goldkapsel" (9.0 % alc.)
- 2013 Rieslaner Auslese (9.0 % alc.)
- 2012 Gewürztraminer Auslese "Flemlinger Herrenbuckel" (13.0 % alc.)
All of them were remarkable for their quality. Clean, pure and juicy. Pointing out the particular varietal's characteristics. It becomes obvious that for these kind of wines the Minges family pay special attention. My personal favorite was the Gewürztraminer "Flemlinger Herrenbuckel". Deep golden yellow, lychee extreme, some toffee and whisky notes. Tremendous potential!
The Minges winery - really cozy!
Finally we tasted some of the red wines. Also here we skipped some varietals: Portugieser, Dornfelder and Saint Laurent. We started with the 2012 Pinot Noir "Tradition" QbA dry. Crystal-clear ruby red with a very dscreet raspberry aroma. A perfect starter for the four reds matured in barrique:
- 2011 Merlot QbA dry
- 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon QbA dry
- 2011 Cabernet Franc QbA dry
- 2011 Cuvée "Eva" QbA dry - the Bordeaux-style blend of the winery (one third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot)
Like the Merlot I describe before all of them are extremely young and of course "too green" to drink them now. Even decanting would only help with the Merlot which is the most developed so far. The potential is there, but you need patience. I decided to buy six bottles of the Merlot. The main reason was that German wines of this grape with this high quality are rare to find. This was confirmed with the bottle I tasted during the creation of this entry. The wine developed every single minute in the glass and I enjoyed every single sip.
PS: A few words about the aging quality of the Minges wines. Regine Minges told us about her planned wedding next year. She will indulge her guests with some bottles of the 2003 Cab she still stores in her cellar. Some people already told that they would only come to taste this wine...
Thank you very much Regine for a wonderful afternoon at your winery.
Wednesday, August 5. 2015
2009 Regusci Winery Syrah (91/100)
Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California
Alcohol 14.2 %
Tasted 2015-08-05
Deep dark cherry red with some light rims. Dark, ripe fruits. Blackberries and black currants paired with sour cherries. In addition a touch of leather. Earthy. Rich and full bodied. The sour cherries are clearly dominating. Tannins are still present, but well integrated and smooth. Medium to long finish with a nice sour and refreshing final. Vibrant - and very pleasant!
Regusci Winery is located in the Stags Leap District at the Silverado Trail directly besides Stags Leap Wine Cellars. I prefer the Silverado Trail to the St. Helena Hwy. It is not so overcrowded and usually the tasting room people are a "little bit" more interested in their vistors - just as at Regusci.
I visited the tasting room in spring this year. The visit was not planned; my wife and I drove down the Silverado Trail and thought it would be a good idea to stop. Totally in contradiction to our visits in this area since ten years. This time a very good decision. Cozy ambience, friendly and competent people, outstanding wines. I bought in total six bottles...
The history of the Regusci Winery is a typical West Coast Story. The family is present in the area since 1932 when Gaetano Regusci bought the nearly 300 acre big estate in Stags Leap District. Gaetano was a farmer, not a winemaker. Of course he prepared some homemade wine, but this was only one part of the whole farm business. Gaetano's son Angelo planted then some Bordeaux varietals in the 1960s but it was the next generation - Angelo's son Jim - who established 1996 Regusci Winery.
Regusci Winery is not very well present in the databases of the wine popes. But I want to cite Mr. Robert M. Parker: "I rarely see these wines, but I have consistently enjoyed them when I have had them at restaurants or at a random tasting." (2006 Patriarch Proprietary Red - the Bordeaux blend of Regusci). Really true for the 2009 Syrah, but also for all others I tasted during my visit. Besides the 2009 Syrah I bought the 2012 Chardonnay Mary's Cuvée and the 2011 Patriarch - both still lying in my wine cellar. By the way: The Chardonnay Mary's Cuvée is not typical for Napa Valley. More mineralic, European style - but that is just an aside.
In the meantime the Syrah develops more peppery notes. This extends the finish and the flavours become more complex. Great. The wine is just at the beginning. It will be on the top in two years and will hold this quality for another three years.
I'm looking all the time for perfect partners for my pulled pork BBQ. This buddy is a perfect candidate.
Alcohol 14.2 %
Tasted 2015-08-05
Deep dark cherry red with some light rims. Dark, ripe fruits. Blackberries and black currants paired with sour cherries. In addition a touch of leather. Earthy. Rich and full bodied. The sour cherries are clearly dominating. Tannins are still present, but well integrated and smooth. Medium to long finish with a nice sour and refreshing final. Vibrant - and very pleasant!
Regusci Winery is located in the Stags Leap District at the Silverado Trail directly besides Stags Leap Wine Cellars. I prefer the Silverado Trail to the St. Helena Hwy. It is not so overcrowded and usually the tasting room people are a "little bit" more interested in their vistors - just as at Regusci.
I visited the tasting room in spring this year. The visit was not planned; my wife and I drove down the Silverado Trail and thought it would be a good idea to stop. Totally in contradiction to our visits in this area since ten years. This time a very good decision. Cozy ambience, friendly and competent people, outstanding wines. I bought in total six bottles...
The history of the Regusci Winery is a typical West Coast Story. The family is present in the area since 1932 when Gaetano Regusci bought the nearly 300 acre big estate in Stags Leap District. Gaetano was a farmer, not a winemaker. Of course he prepared some homemade wine, but this was only one part of the whole farm business. Gaetano's son Angelo planted then some Bordeaux varietals in the 1960s but it was the next generation - Angelo's son Jim - who established 1996 Regusci Winery.
Regusci Winery is not very well present in the databases of the wine popes. But I want to cite Mr. Robert M. Parker: "I rarely see these wines, but I have consistently enjoyed them when I have had them at restaurants or at a random tasting." (2006 Patriarch Proprietary Red - the Bordeaux blend of Regusci). Really true for the 2009 Syrah, but also for all others I tasted during my visit. Besides the 2009 Syrah I bought the 2012 Chardonnay Mary's Cuvée and the 2011 Patriarch - both still lying in my wine cellar. By the way: The Chardonnay Mary's Cuvée is not typical for Napa Valley. More mineralic, European style - but that is just an aside.
In the meantime the Syrah develops more peppery notes. This extends the finish and the flavours become more complex. Great. The wine is just at the beginning. It will be on the top in two years and will hold this quality for another three years.
I'm looking all the time for perfect partners for my pulled pork BBQ. This buddy is a perfect candidate.
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