1999 Ryan Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard & 2011 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Justice Vineyard

Fascinating examples of California and Oregon Pinot Noir paired with coconut encrusted shrimp appetizer, Poulet Dijon & artichoke salad main course, with traditional New York cheesecake for dessert. 

Marguerite Ryan Cellars is an under-the-radar producer that specializes very limited production Central Coast pinot noir.  Peggy Ryan trained with Warren Winierski and started her own label in 1996. This is the second time I've been fortunate enough to try the 1999 Pisoni Vineyard bottling (14.6% abv, only 119 cases) over the past couple of years.  Both times, the wine has been excellent.  Clearly a long-lived wine, this bottle was decanted and it really started to show its stuff after around 3 hours. Vibrant fruit balanced with good acidity and an incredibly alluring floral nose with licorice accents. Unfined and unfiltered. 

I like what Mark Vlossak does with Oregon pinot noir.  The '11 Justice Vineyard is superbly balanced at 13.0% abv.  Crystalline ruby color, and lithe raspberry palate that opens up nicely after a few hours in the decanter. Signature forest floor with spice accents.  Gravitas in expression of true pinot noir character without being overbearing. Oregon pinot noir tends to be very food friendly.  This wine should develop well for several more years. 

1999 Martinelli Pinot Noir Martinelli Vineyard Reserve

This stuff is ridiculously good. Kept opening up over 6 hours. Amazing longevity. 
Raspberry, sous bois with signature anise accent . Yes, the +15% abv seems high octane, however it wears it well. Perhaps Helen Turley's consulting influence. ...
...  I have a special affinity for these older Martinelli Reserve pinots....

2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard and 2012 Big Basin Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard

Paired the 2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard and the 2012 Big Basin Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard with sashimi grade tuna marinated and grilled over cherry-wood coals. 
The Big Basin was tasty out of the gate with bright raspberry and spice with attractive floral aromatics (14% abv) .  This Vineyard is in Monterey area. 
The Shea Estate was a bit more reticent at first, but after several hours opened up very nicely and became the favorite,  especially complementing the grilled tuna.  More classic tart cherry with earthtones. Only 13% abv but quite a bit more gravitas than the Big Basin ... 
A very enjoyable comparison of Oregon and California  terroir. .. 

1996 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

From one of my favorite afforable producers, the San Rocco cuvee from Azelia rarely fails to please. 14% abv. Slow-o for 4 hours prior to dinner and then full decant at the restaurant.  Only a modest amount of sediment. The nose is beautifully delicate. Everything in harmony now, any rough edges on the tannins are now polished and fully integrated with oh-so-delicious, refined fruit.....resulting in a very fine example of a mature '96 Serralunga. 
IMO, there is not much upside to hanging onto the '96 a lot longer. .. it is gorgeous now.  I love how the power of wines from Castiglione Falletto can transform into graceful, sometimes even ethereal, expressions of Nebbiolo. Paired with duck prepared 3 ways, it took dinner to another level. 

2011 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Yamhill Cuvee

2011 has turned out to be a very enjoyable and approachable vintage for Oregon pinot noir.  Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee is my favorite from this producer aside from the top end Grace Vineyard bottling, yet is their most modestly priced offering. Quite Burgundian,  beautiful sour cherry and sous bois, with a very alluring, fragrant nose.  Opened up perfectly over the course of several hours. (13% abv) .... 
Their Evenstad Reserve is ponderous and almost syrah-like in comparison, IMO...

'98 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Fiore and '08 Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino

At an impromptu gathering of friends headed to Italy soon, these two Brunello's from modest vintages showed very well. 

The '98 Vigna del Fiore is a single vineyard Brunello that clocks in at a glorious 13% abv. A big wine that belies the modest abv, it has matured perfectly with incredible savory character complementing the delicious fruit. Hints of sous bois on the palate and an earthy floral nose complete the picture. Threw off a lot of very fine grained sediment indicating no filtering... all the good stuff was left intact.  This was a pop and pour. Opened up beautifully over the course of several hours after decanting.  In fact, this is one of the more satisfyingly classic Brunello's I've had in a while. Who needs over-ripe high octane wines?  This is a beautifully balanced Sangiovese  :) 

The '08 Col d'Orcia was very good and actually quite a bit lighter in body than the '98 Vigna del Fiore. (Definitely passed the Soldera test). Slow-o'd for 4 hours.  Attractive cherry fruit with anise and hint of mint. Some preferred the lighter character of the Col d'Orcia, but I couldn't resist the mature allure of the '98 Vigna del Fiore.

Can't wait to get to Tuscany. ...

2007 Chateau de St. Cosme Gigondas Valbelle

At St. Cosme, Louis Barruol makes some of the best (and affordable) wines from both southern and northern Rhone. 

 I am particularly fond of his Cote-Rotie
http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2014/03/chateau-de-saint-cosme-cote-rotie-2003.html?m=1

With the recent debate on the 2007 vintage in southern Rhone, I wanted to revisit the '07 Valbelle.  This tasting echoed my experience last year with the wine. It is a fine wine, yet seems a bit ponderous. Mostly Grenache (80 year old vines) with a dollop of Syrah, but the weight of the wine on the palate indicates a higher percentage of Syrah (or is it just an overripe style with the Grenache...?).  14.5% abv for '07 Valbelle.  Note that the '03 Cote-Rotie is a well-balanced 13.5% abv.  Evidence of a trend towards riper harvests in general in the Rhone? - or - just the warmth of the '07 vintage? 

Dark raspberry with attractive accents of lilac on the nose.  Hints of creosote and olive on the palate. Notes from the St. Cosme website indicate whole cluster was used in later vintages.  Notes for the '07 Valbelle do not specifically state that whole clusters were used, but there is a spicy character to the palate that may suggest some percentage of whole cluster was used. St. Cosme website notes a high percentage of limestone terroir for vineyards that comprise the Valbelle cuvee.

I suppose the question is, with more time in the cellar, will this evolve into the lithe, delightful Gigondas of old?  I think not. 

Perhaps closer in style to the Saxum wine we had last week. Certainly a good thing if that is what you are looking for, however perhaps not what one seeks in more traditional southern Rhones. 

'01 Guigal Hermitage, '03 Standish, '05 Saxum Bone Rock

Interesting comparison of Syrah based wines from Rhone, Paso Robles and Barossa Valley.

First Flight:
2012 Robert - Denogent Pouilly Fuisse Les Carrons 
2006 Brewer - Clifton Chardonnay Sea Smoke Vineyard

The R-D Les Carrons is an amazing wine. Highly recommended.  Gorgeous floral nose explodes from the glass. Crisp, clean fruit accented by superb minerality. Almost Loire-ish in nature. 
B-C Sea Smoke is on the far side of its drinking window. I've lost my taste for these chardonnays.  High octane and oaky.

Second Flight:
2001 Guigal Hermitage 
2003 The Standish 
2005 Saxum James Berry Vineyard Bone Rock

Guigal was the lightest of the flight. Lovely 13% abv. Almost pinot noir-ish in color. Very deftly executed and food friendly. Tasty olive tapenade and sous bois accents. I actually prefer the 2003 vintage in general from the northern Rhone. 

The Saxum is very well balanced for 16% abv. Mostly Syrah with a dollop of Grenache. I am always impressed by the quality of the fruit in Saxum wines.  The James Berry Vineyard is the crown jewel. Slightly edging out the others as my favorite of the evening.

First time I've enjoyed The Standish in a while. Big wines that need time in the bottle. This 2003 tipped in at around 15% to 16% abv.  Definitely the heavyweight of the flight. Delicious raspberry component. 

99 Conterno Fantino Sori Ginestra and '05 Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin Ginestra

Fascinating comparison of different Producers  (albeit different vintages) from the Ginestra vineyard. Both wines served at a pre-show dinner for Stephen Stills' show. A true legend.

'05 Clerico was slow-o'd for 9 hours prior to dinner and then decanted at the restaurant. '99 Conterno Fantino was slow-o'd for 4 hours prior to dinner and served from bottle. 

The '99 Conterno Fantino was a showcase for a nicely matured Barolo. Black cherry with dusty tannins and tar. Nose took a while to open up. Paired in stelllar fashion with Ossobuco. One of the more enjoyable Barolo's I've had from the classic 1999 vintage. 

The '05 Clerico is still young. Exhibits very tasty fruit at this stage with balsamic accents and anise. The tannins come in heavy after the initial taste of fruit.  Could be in prime drinking window in another 5 years. As the dinner progressed, the Clerico seemed to shut down down slightly, possibly due to the decanting and increased exposure to air. 

We were drawn to the Clerico again & again early on with the voluptuous fruit and classic components  (that will eventually come together).  

The classicism of the Conterno Fantino took over as dinner progressed and it paired so well with the cuisine. 

2009 G. Canonica Barolo Paiagallo and 2000 Damilano Barolo Riserva

Interesting take on two vintages and two producers.  I am becoming more of a fan of some of the younger vintages that are approachable earlier.  

The '09 Canonica Paiagallo was showing brilliantly.  Ten hours of slow-o prior to dinner.  The most striking impression is the quality of the fruit in balance with supple tannins. An absolutely delicious Barolo. 

The '00 Damilano Riserva is a good wine on its own, however the fruit seemed a bit faded compared to the Canonica.  The Damilano greets you like an old friend. A very satisfying blend. The tar component is much more present than in the Canonica. 

Both wines paired well with the dishes:
- Sauteed gnocchi with prosciutto, green apple and blue cheese cream
- Ribeye steak with blackened green beans and sauteed mushrooms

2006 Le Calle Catocci Poggio d'Oro Sangiovese Riserva (Montecucco)

A delightful surprise. Montecucco region is new to me... just south of Montalcino.  Nicely balanced at 14% abv.  Seems to be entering its peak drinking window.  Lovely dark cherry with dusty tannins accented by well integrated Slovenian oak. Great QPR at around $30. Paired well with chicken parmigiana and mushrooms oreganata. 

1992 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa and 2005 Tor Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon

Two great wines showing beautifully.

'92 Dunn Napa is magnificent from the start.  Double-decanted back into clean bottle and slow-o for an hour. Threw off a fair amount of sediment.  13.0% alc. (Bravo!) This Napa bottling was actually showing a bit better than the '92 Howell Mountain from last month.  Stunning, luscious fruit with a nose to match.The trademark Dunn Cab tannins have melted into a deliciously sweet framework.  It's quite classic and Bordeaux - like at this stage of its life. At its peak IMO. Simply the best Dunn Cab I've ever had. 

First time I've had the Tor Beckstoffer To Kalon.  What could possibly begin to match the beauty of the '92 Dunn?  Well, the Tor does a great job of that.  The pedigree of the To Kalon vineyard is instantly recognizable. Extremely well balanced for 15.2 alc.  You wouldn't  know it without looking at the label.  Cassis, cigar box and hints of anise complement the amazing fruit. It's still a bit young, but approachable at this juncture. A "wow" Napa Cab.

2009 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

Overall impression: a bit disjointed at this juncture.  

I had this wine several years ago shortly after release and thought it had too much alcohol (14.9%).  I still think so several years later. 

The tannins have resolved a bit, the aromatics have developed, and there is nice fruit up front complemented by classic Mt. Harlan minerality ...but is eclipsed by a finish that is too warm. Time will tell if it will come around. 

1999 JJ Prum Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese & 2012 Foradori Fontanasanta Manzoni Bianco

Enjoyed these over the course of dinner...
First course: Baked coconut encrusted shrimp 
Main course: Grilled marinated tuna steaks, lobster mac & cheese, artichoke salad, balsamic golden peppers
Dessert: New York cheesecake 

The '99 Prum nicely complemented the coconut shrimp. Lovely aromatics of petrol and honeysuckle leading to a classic palate of ripe apple and pear. Really enjoy the 7.5% abv... This bottle seemed to be a bit past it's peak as evidenced by the more viscous nature ... somewhat lacking in tension and crisp minerality that I look for in great Riesling. ..

My first foray with the Foradori wines... the '12 Manzoni paired very well with the tuna steaks. The Manzoni varietal is an interesting cross between Riesling and Pinot Bianco....I believe that Foradori uses clay amphorae in making their wines.  This beauty has a fascinating earthy component and is quite mineral driven with apricot and pear notes on the palate. It really wants to be paired with food with its stoney flavor.  Lithe 12.5% abv.

2009 Puech-Haut St. Drezery Quercus

One of the current "hot" wines from the Languedoc ... the Quercus bottling is 100% Grenache crafted by owner Gerard Bru and cellarmaster Mathieu Ciampi. The genius of Philippe Cambie is evident as the consulting winemaker.

This is a monster wine that is good now but will be gorgeous in a few years.  Opened and consumed the first quarter of the bottle, then the remainder at varying intervals over the course of two weeks.   The last of it was really delicious and showed the potential of the wine, especially evoking comparison to more modern CdP's.  Big raspberry fruit, garrigue with anise accents.  The aromatics reflect the hedonistic style evident in the palate.  Hang onto this for a few more years...

My favorite Languedoc wine still remains the beautiful Las Flors de la Piera...

http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2012/11/las-flors-de-la-peira.html

04 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard & '11 Brittan Pinot Noir Basalt Block

Two fine examples, respectively, of California and Oregon Pinot Noir.  Paired with Chicken Dijon and San Marzano tomato salad. Slow-o'd both for a couple of hours.  

Big fan of Josh Jensen's heritage pinot noir.  The '04 Calera Mills was showing spectacularly well. Satiny, floral aromatics are sublime (much more robust than the '05 Mills) .... the captivating nose keeps you coming back for more and more.... setting the stage for the beautifully sweet, minerally raspberry palate with mellow spice and mushroom accents. Sort of reminded me a bit of Joe Rochioli's great wines. My only knock is at 15% alc, the finish is very slightly warm. 

My first foray with Robert Brittan's wines... the '11 Basalt Block is definitely on the young side.  Voluptuous tart cherry fruit in tension with nice framework of acidity and spice.  Very nicely balanced at 13.2% alc... really looking forward to revisiting this in 3 or 4 years...   There's a lot that will come together in this wine...  

1996 Revello Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata

Slow-o for 2 hours and then decant.  Good intensity up front and nice aromatics.  Nice depth of cherry fruit laced with hints of kirsch ... balanced gravity.  This is a good wine showing the pedigree of Annunziata. However, as the evening progressed we didn't see the momentum develop perhaps indicating that it's on the far side of the drinking window (at least for this particular bottle).

Like all good Barolo, this is a contemplative wine with enough facets to make it interesting, just not stellar.   The tannins seem to have mellowed a bit too much.  Overall, compared to the recent showstoppers from 2003 (Conterno CF) and 2004 (Borgogno Riserva Pinin), this '96 was less vibrant and fresh.  The younger ones exhibited more complexity.

It did pair very well with grilled bone-in ribeye steaks :-)

2004 G. Borgogno Barolo Riserva Pinin and 2000 Damilano Barolo Riserva

Thanks to Steve Russo for bringing over the '04 Borgogno Riserva Pinin. Had never seen this wine before and information on this bottling seems quite elusive. Is it a blend of several vineyards? 

The '04 Pinin was opened and decanted right away.  We ended up drinking it over the course of about 7 hours.  

The most striking thing about the '04 Pinin is the balance (as one would expect from the 2004 vintage).  It evolved showing wonderful depth while being classically lithe in body (even Burgundy-like).  Floral aromatics were gorgeous from the start, while the complexity of the palate was really quite startling for a mid-weight wine as the night went on. Delicious Rainier cherry fruit. Gossamer dusty tannins framing a lovely traditional tar & roses profile with hints of anise. Clearly, everyone very much enjoyed this wine.

The 2000 Damilano Riserva was reviewed here a few weeks back.
This recent bottle did not show as well alongside the beautiful '04 Borgogno Pinin (the '00 Damilano seemed a bit clunky in comparison ... again, as might be expected comparing 2000 vintage in general to 2004).  However, when we drank the rest of the '00 Damilano Riserva several days later, it was more enjoyable on its own merits  :-D 

2003 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

Slow-o'd for 4 hours prior to dinner and then decanted at restaurant. Very little sediment. Fascinating evolution over the course of the day.

When first opened, the warmth of the vintage was readily apparent. ... a bit too up front and slightly disjointed. Fast forward to dinner and full exposure to air 4 hours later, the noble Cascina Francia pedigree comes into focus. 

 Very elegant for the vintage. With extended aeration,  the lush fruit balances out with the impeccably classic tar and roses notes on the palate. 

It's the underlying vein of minerality that completes the picture and makes this wine impossible to resist. 

The nose that was at first a tad stewed upon opening the bottle but then settles into pleasing floral aromatics (not overpowering). 

Always the sign of a great Barolo, the last of it is gone and it is just getting better and better.  A great bargain at current  market prices.

Paired with grilled octopus as first course and bone-in veal chop with sautéed veggies for main course.

1992 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon and 1992 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Opened and decanted.... consumed over the course of 9 hours ... with dinner and afterward. Paired with grilled ribeye steaks and grilled veggies.  Dessert was selection of cows milk and sheeps milk cheeses, Spanish fig cake, and fresh local honeycomb.

Both wines were in good shape. Am more familiar with Forman than Dunn. Of course, the '92 vintage is a sensational one for this mini-masterclass in hallmark California Cabs.

Forman exhibited it quintessential flavor profile....I can always pick out the signature olive component. Fine tannins and very elegant overall. The mature cherry fruit is deceptively lithe until you get to the tertiary complexity that develops as the wine opens up.... sous bois, cassis.   This is a wine to be savored. A lot of stuff going on with the palate that shows off the classic Forman vineyard terroir.  It has that elusively nimble complexity that we seek in our wines.  

Dunn was a big flavor profile right out of the gate. Lush mature fruit, yet you can tell there is still some time ahead for this one. A big wine with everything in balance, burnished tannins, gorgous earth and minerality A classic wine of substance. Perfect complement to the steaks. 

While Dunn is a lovely wine, we found that we kept coming back to the Forman because of it's very alluring tertiary complexity. It will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the Dunn with age.

The two distinct profiles give rise to consideration of respective terroirs.  Forman's beautiful hillside vineyards are more southerly and west facing.   Dunn vineyards may have a more northerly exposure.