2007 Ridge Vineyards Dusi Ranch Late Harvest Zinfandel

I'll just say it: I'm not a fan of late harvest zinfandel. So this 2007 Late Harvest Dusi Ranch is the only wine from Ridge I couldn't really get into this year.

On the bright side, Ridge has instituted a new membership log-in to streamline purchases online. Gone are the days of manually entering the same old shipping info everytime you want to make a reorder. Thank baby Jesus, too.

Now, here is just a quick recounting of the past year's Ridge ATP/Z-List releases:

ATP:
December: 2007 Zinfandel Dusi Ranch Late Harvest
November: 2004 Lytton Estate Grenache **
October: 2006 Zinfandel Old School (not tasted)
September: 2006 Nervo **/***
August: Optional Shipment: 2007 Jimsomare ****
June: 2007 Carignane Buchignani Ranch **/***
May: 2004 Petite Sirah Dynamite Hill ***
April: 2004 Zinfandel Oltranti **/***
February: 2005 Zinfandel Buchignani Ranch **
January: 2006 Zinfandel Dusi Ranch *

Z-List:
2007 Geyserville ***/****
2007 East Bench ***
2007 Paso Robles **/***
2007 Lytton Springs *
2007 Pagani Ranch **
2007 York Creek ***

Monte Bello wines:
2006 Monte Bello ***
2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay ***/****
2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay ***

Christmas Wines etc.

We poured a lot of random stuff for the holidays, with only one bottle to go around a table of 10, so with very little second tastes, here are some highlights on our holiday:

1993 Dom Perignon ** Vivid gold color, with good vibrance. Full and dry, with blood orange on the tongue and lemon drop viscosity, somewhat less elegant than previous bottles, possibly due to variation?

2006 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ** Deep red rose. Warm nose of fresh red flowers and red licorice. Very mellow, with round tannin on the mid palate and finish, as has become expected from RM recent NV wines. Very nice.

2001 Carruades de Lafite * Dark bold blackcurrant, green olives, noticeable green notes that resolved somewhat over the course of the night.

Vintage Tastings BYOB Dinner at Tribeca Grill

The best thing about a large BYOB gathering, aside from the great wines, is meeting people who like to share their interest in, and love for, certain wines. There are the Bordeaux lovers, the Burgundy afficiandos, the Champagne specialists, and the members of the Cult. We had them all at our table. You all get thrown together and drink a bunch of great stuff and -- generally -- everyone gets along.

Then again, there's Table Number One. NUMERO UNO. Where they seat the heavy hitters - I could imagine Hardy Rodenstock sitting there, with his 1787 Lafite. And it's so stupid. Of course, the only wine I tasted from this table, the 1990 Montrose, was probably the Wine of the Night for me. So here I am - a hypocrite with a blog. But there it is. Overall, a great evening with lots of great wine and great people. Thanks to David Hamburger for MCing and the staff at Tribeca for wonderful service.

Thank you -- as well -- to the mystery woman who poured us all 1976 Yquem, just as the night was drawing to a close. To be honest, this display of generosity was something of a holiday miracle.

Notes in order of tasting:

1993 Dom Perignon *** a perfect start to the evening. Wonderful floral and tropical notes with lime and Mountain Dew on the finish.

1982 Leflaive Les Pucelles Puligny Montrachet ... tired.

2001 Meo Camuzet Corton ** dep rose and irridescence. Dired floral notes and melon. Developed jolly rancher on the nose and chalky tannins throughtout the night.

1983 Dom Perignon * (to replace the Leflaive) Prune and fig on the nose. Some green notes as well. Very traditional, to me a very different style from more recent vintages. Perhaps the age - the oldest DP I've ever tasted.

1984 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello **** (my wine) a very fresh bottle, with dark fruit notes, dried floral notes, violets, salty on the midpalate, but surprisingly short. Still, a stunner.

1996 Ponsot Clos de la Roche (flawed)

1998 Lignier Clos de la Roche *** ruby red; still tight and fresh, tannic, with sweet cherry and mellow well-trod earthy notes.

1986 Ch. Gruaud Larose ** deep black cherry color, still tight, with cherry and just a very mellow note of worn wet wood here.

1989 Ch. Pichon Comtesse de Lalande **** warm cinnamonny raisins, dark cocoa, and wooza supa-tight. Brings to mid-90's rap and the advent of Bling! I'm a sucker for the warm vintage 1989 Bordeaux....

1995 Ch. Mouton Rothschild *** tight purple, still dense with moderate chalky midnotes and very mellow mint. The fruit is elegant, not as voluptuous as I had hoped. A very traditional Mouton, perhaps.

1990 Ch. Montrose **** WOTN? Black olives. Black olives. and Black olives. Succulent black fruits. Electric and elegant. Just stunning.

1990 Clos de Tart **** remarkable sweet black cherry and silk. Tannins like a young woman's inner thighs. Then unctuous on the finish. Leaves one breathless.

1989 Ch. Lynch Bages ** mellow black fruit and medium body, elegant tannin. All there but ultimately no wowsa.

1986 Ch. Lynch Bages **** Black olives again. Dark fruits. Mellow mint with fine but chalky tannin. Superb.

1984 Katherine Kennedy ***- AHA! Just opened - tight, succulent, balsamic notes here. Needs air, badly, but this nicely concentrated, with black and dark blue fruit notes.

1999 Ch. Mouton Rothschild ** (my wine) Dusty with tart raspberry. Opens up nicely. This vintage has an undeserved poor reputation. Mostly fried floral notes, wonderfully elegant, with good balance, but not a blockbuster.

1976 Ch. d'Yquem. Wine of the Night. Gold color. On those nose, sweet yellow flowers, honey, apricot. On the palate, quite racy below the tongue, with surging salt towards the front of the mouth, then receding sweet white raisiny notes with mellow tropical melon notes and a slow, long finish. Perfect.

California Cult Wines Review of 2009

In New York, if you’ve survived the 2009 onslaught, then in Frank Sinatra’s words, “You can make it anywhere.” The old saw seems true in life as well as wine, at least, that was the feeling I got the other night after the wines were revealed in a tasting of 2005 California Cult Cabernet organized by none other than David Hamburger of Vintage Tastings. I was standing at the bottle tables with another gentleman after the brown paper bags were pulled away and the labels revealed, and I held in my hand my #2 wine of the night -- A wine I had never tasted before, let alone heard of. He was young and rich. A banker of sorts from Germany, and he was familiar with the wine in my hand, a 2005 Sherwin Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

“It’s not expensive,” he said.

“Really?” I said. “How much?”

“Oh … $50 or $60?” he responded.

Well … is $50 or $60 expensive? What about $300? My how things have changed.

Now let me digress. 

Some of the best wines in our tasting are unheralded by the major critics, and this is a good thing. In fact, I heard it reiterated over again last night that the Parkerization of one’s palate is a serious insult. Scarves and gloves may – and did -- fly at the mention that one prefers his or her wine overtly “prunish.”

So after all the talk, I was surprised to see the Wine of the Night revealed as, none other than Bryant Family Vineyards 2005, a Parker favorite. It was without question delicious, floral and balanced, and only more so as the night wore on. It was my #5 wine of the night. And it took the sting out of being called a "Parkerite."

Wines in order of appearance:

1. Stanton Cabernet Sauvignon */** (Group 4th place) Low shine; some oak notable and sweet milk cocoa on the nose. On the palate minor green notes; a Bordeaux style with lingering dry tannin on the finish.

2. Shelter *** (Tied 10th place) Deep red color with lots of shine on this. Salty minerality evident on the nose and even some celery salt; I heard the phrase "black cherry cola" bandied about. Certainly a Bordeaux style here as well, not tart, but mildly loamy, not exactly sweet tannin; gains elegance with air, and the celery and fresh herb notes come out on top. Very fresh with air.

3. James Johnson Vineyards Bisou Estate ** (9th place) Low shine; consistent nose as wine #2, with less overt minerality here and more ripe fruit notes. Mellow tannins, with cola and cherry coming up early, but more fluff than substance on the finish.

4. Versant Vineyards ** (Tied 11th place) Good shine. A very Napa nose with minor oak and ripe sweet cherries, mellow spices, and tart, chalky tannin in the middle.

5. Realm Farella Vineyard ** (Tied 11th place) Good shine. Very minor funk on the nose blew off quickly enough. With charcoal (could that be from the hot dog stand downstairs?) some green and celery notes, but on the palate nice balance and sweet tannins, good mint as well.

6. David Arthur Elevation 1147 (flawed) (Tied 10th - but NOT LAST place)

7. Peter Michael "Les Pavots" ** (Tied 10th place) I have to admit, I was pulling for this wine. I pegged it as my #3 of the night - I was wrong. Still, this was very nice. A semi-translucent pale purple with some well hidden vanilla, some sweet cherry and cocoa, and developing buttery popcorn notes towards the end. Tight and elegant, but overshadowed tonight.

8. Sherwin Family Estate **** (My #2, Group Tied 6th place) Nice shine; violets, earth and minor vine leaf on this outstanding nose. Balanced, best so far. Sweet but robust mid palate tannins, with notable black olives and increasingly floral and elegant with aeration.

9. Pride Mountain Vineyards Reserve *** (7th place - my guess was Bryant) Nice ripe red shine with ripe sweet fruit on the nose, sweet raspberry and some oak on the nose as well. Lots of cola, mindful of malbec. With some mint and olive; coffee and vanilla bean on the finish. Very near ****

10. Husic Vineyards ** (Tied 8th place) Low shine. Charcoal and graphite on the nose, with underlying tart strawberry. Some marajuana on the nose? Black cherry cola here, with good minerality and green olives - black olives - olive mix? Good sweet tannin on the close.

11. Hemlach Hills (flawed) (Tied 10th - but NOT LAST place - seriously people, what are you drinking?)

12. Merus *** (My #4 - Tied 6th place) Very elegant on the nose, with dried flowers and mellow cola and some soft wood, plus blackcurrant notes as this aired. Very elegant. Mellow fish oil; sweet tannin, almost overly sweet? Some salt water on the nose. All over the place; pretty amazing.

13. Harlan Estate ** (Tied 8th place) You could almost feel the collective "Ohhhh" of let down as this wine was revealed. Very high shine, "most complex nose of the night" thus far say my notes, but only very mellow round tannin on the palate, not at all viscous or overt, with mellow green and celery notes providing some intellectual stimulation.

14. Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard (Grand Cuvee) **** (My #3; Group 3rd place) Good shine, with a hot nose of mint, mellow barn, port and some fish oil - very complex nose that came together greatly. "Wow" smooth. Gorgeous in the mouth and elegant and very long.

15. Shafer Hillside Select **** (My Wine of the Night; Group 5th place) High shine; hot nose; high concentration mellow mint and spice. Wow. Uber smooth, mellow chalk, with oreo mint cookie ice cream on the finish.

16. Lewis Cellars Reserve *** (Group 2d place) Cola and celery and salt on the nose. Mellow mint evolves with air. Black pepper and prunes, with big concentration and very soft in the middle but not forever. An overall very impressive wine.

17. Bryant Family *** (My #5; Group Wine of the Night) High shine. Very floral nose; with lots of salt, celery and mint. Nice and full. Very Napa, with pepper and mild spices. Incredibly drinkable, and the first wine I gulped down.

2006 Grammercy Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley

At Buttermilk Channel recently we ordered a 2006 Grammercy Cellars Lagniappe Syrah ** from Columbia Valley, produced by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington. Co-fermented with 3% viognier in open top containers then "lightly pressed" to barrels and aged for 15 months, this is deeply colored, dark but not purple, and very continental in style, elegant and poised in the mouth, without any of the fat I find sometimes in California syrahs. The viognier is very expressive on the nose and the overall impression is of a Northern Rhone styled wine. Succulent comes to mind, as do dried herbs and Provence and perhaps even dried roses. A very compelling introduction to Washington state Rhone wines, which are emerging as the new bad boys of American wine.

1985 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello ***

Still vibrant, translucent deep purple color, with mellow dried herbs and tart blackberry on the nose; this from a bottle with ullage into the neck and a bright label. Burgundian on the palate, with a mixture of silk on the midpalate and dusty tannin on the finish; large tart greenhouse strawberries and notes of unsweetened crushed blackberries and black tea. Best bottle of this very good vintage I have tasted.

Thanksgiving Wines Revisited

I enjoy reading about what everybody had to drink on Thanksgiving more than what they are planning on serving (or selling), so here are my two cents.

The night before Thanksgiving, as family was arriving from California rather late, we stayed up with a bottle of Ridge Vineyards Grenache Lytton Estate 2004 ** This improved by day two -- when I had a little sip of it with an apple and cheese for lunch as we were preparing the main event -- garnering a nicely loamy texture and concentration and dark berry fruits.

For din-din I opened a Domaine Drouhin Cuvee Laurène 2006 *** We had received this as a gift from our friends in Portland who praised it and despite its young age, I couldn't resist. From the website, "Laurène is our flagship wine, and is produced entirely from Pinot Noir grown on the family's estate in the Dundee Hills. All of the fruit is handpicked into small totes, destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and then placed into barrels (French oak, never more than 20% new)." A deep garnet or very dark red rose color, with red fruits and very mellow pine and wet earth on the nose. My notes trail off at this point, but it was nicely round on the palate without being sweet. And I almost enjoyed this more before dinner than during. Another Oregon wine lending credence to the greatness of the 2006 vintage?

For the white wine lovers we opened a Hanzell Vineyards Chardonnay Sonoma County 2006 **** Let me admit now that I was surprised at the superamazingness of this wine. (Yes, that's one word.) I opened a second bottle last night to confirm just how superawesome it was. There is saying that "young" wine writers can't be objective about the wines they enjoy, and I guess this post proves their point. Screw objectivity in the face of great wine. This Hanzell is without question the single greatest Hanzell wine I have ever tasted. A pale gold color, with a bouquet of fresh wild flowers, taut minerality on the attack, with sumptuous tropical fruit notes in the middle and just un soupçon of black licorice and oak on the finish.

Thirsty much?