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.

2007 Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard and 2011 Neely Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic Block

Talk about dichotomy in styles of pinot noir!  Here are fascinating examples. 

The 2007 Calera Ryan is a big, high - altitude wine with well defined raspberry and sous bois palate. Aromatics are somewhat subdued (or is it my spring allergies..?).  Not as alluring as the 2005 Calera Mills we had recently,  but still quite enjoyable..... 

Opened the 2011 Neely and , whoa -hold the phone- this is a different beast entirely. Very light in color with only 12.4% abv.... so lithe in body with bright strawberry,  sassafras palate... quite spicy.  Intriguing spice on the aromatics as well. Santa Cruz Mtns. Made by the Varner brothers.  Became significantly more fascinating on day two (Sunday evening sunset dinner ... a la carte meatballs and balsamic peppers). 
Hard to put this wine down.... it demands coming back for more.... doesn't want to be pigeonholed as a typical California pinot noir...

2004 Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore

I cannot say enough about the masterful wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli.  Having become acquainted with these wines via Mark Scudiery, they have become some of my favorites.  Perhaps an over-used term, but purity in eclectic style and substance comes to mind.  I hope to visit Quintarelli when I am traveling through Verona this summer. 
This 2004 vintage of the Valpolicella Classico Superiore is fully evolved yet has many years of life ahead.   Perhaps slightly brighter and more delineation of fruit than the Ca' del Merlo bottling,  but really too close to call.

1997 Rocche Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano

Slow-o for 2 hours and then decanted at dinner. Classic structured Monforte profile with earthy tannins being an important and very tasty part of the experience.  Big dark cherry fruit with come-hither tar & roses. Sweet , rich florals on the nose. 

I believe that this wine was made in barrique.  The oak is subtle and fairly well integrated at this stage. Drank over the course of a couple of hours at dinner.  Could've benefited from more slow-o early on. 

Paired very very well with prime filet mignon and braised collard greens.  Overall this was a very enjoyable example from the '97 vintage.  It still has plenty of life left. 

Would be interesting to try a '96 and a '98 for comparison.  A '99 would probably be a bit young to drink now.

2007 Radikon Ribolla Gialla

Wow! This is a huge wine with surprisingly modest 13% abv.
Spicy, orange fruit and orange zest with hints of apricot and cinnamon.  Big mouthfeel with framework of tannins that will become more satiny with time.  
There is something about Ribolla Gialla that is addictive.  It kind of precludes drinking anything else for the evening... you keep coming back to this intriguing wine over and over.   Sort of like Marius' theory of a great Riesling pretty much taking over the show..

2012 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

This is a masterful blend of fruit sourced from six different vineyards (Meredith Estate, Klopp Ranch, Flax, Georganne, Olivet Lane, Coopersmith).  Having only tried an older vintage of Klopp Ranch (2005, I think) which was rather uninspiring,  I was very pleasantly surprised with the success of this '12 Russian River cuvee. 

Extremely well-balanced and expressive.... very precise black cherry fruit with come-hither sous bois... fennel and spice complement.  Subtle attractive florals on the nose. 

Paired well with mushroom agnolotti. ... 

Am quite impressed with this wine.  One of the better Russian River blends ...the bottle disappeared quickly with a bit left over for day 2 notes..

2005 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

Let me state for the record that Calera wines represent the gold standard for California pinot noir, IMO.

14% abv .    90 minutes of slow-o and enjoyed over the course of 4 hours.  

Inimitable expression of "Mt. Harlan dust" from limestone-influenced terroir. Very tasty red and blue fruit with a hint of clove and fascinating complexity on the finish. Nose is very mellow at this stage. Kept gaining presence over the course of the evening. 

Paired with spicy grilled shrimp. 

Very highly recommended.  Josh Jensen is one of the pioneers of world-class winemaking in California.

2004 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia

This is a big wine just entering into its window of optimal drinkability.  

Layers and layers of depth to the robust cherry fruit. Fine-grained tannins are much more mellow and ready for drinking than a couple of years ago when I first tried this vintage. Spicy with a nice pucker factor upon opening.  Slow-o for an hour and a half,  then drank over the course of 4 hours from bottle. Everything came together very nicely after a few hours. Minimal sediment at the end of the bottle.

A more seriously big CCR compared to the '04 Fontalloro from two days ago. The Fontalloro is lighter on its feet and a bit more aromatic.  Both wines are very good right now.  Just depends on what kind of mood you are in. At this point, I may have a slight preference for the Fontalloro. ... a testament to blending of fruit from different vineyards ....

Paired the Rancia with grilled rack of lamb, herb risotto,  artichoke salad. Finished up with aged Stilton embedded with small chunks of mango. A curious sounding cheese concoction,  but it is awesome. 

2004 Felsina Fontalloro

Love this vintage of Fontalloro!   Drinking really nicely now. 
Slow-o for an hour and a half. Decanted at restaurant.  Gorgeous aromatics and delicious balance of fruit and high-toned tannins.
 Sourced from Fontalloro,  Casalino and Arcidossino vineyards. 
 Opened up over the course of dinner where it was hitting on all cylinders with locally sourced bone-in pork chop.  
Am getting to where I prefer the expression of Sangiovese from Chianti Classico over that of Brunello di Montalcino.  
Highly recommended. ..

'06 Bergstrom Shea, '09 Big Basin Lester, '12 St. Innocent Zenith

Paired with crab cakes (1st course), sauteed scallops (2nd course), rack of lamb (3rd course), creme brulee and Illy espresso (4th course).

2006 Bergstrom Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard
Popped and decanted at the restaurant.  Definitely benefited from enhanced aeration.  A bit tight at first.  Blossomed over the course of the next 3 hours to be voted favorite for the evening. Raspberry, plum and sous bois.  Shy nose at first. Subtle violets as it opened up. Very nicely done balanced Burgundian style. While the Big Basin was gorgeously alluring from the start, the Bergstrom just paired beautifully with the cuisine.

2009 Big Basin Pinot Noir Lester Family Vineyard
Wow! I love this wine for its upfront gorgeous aromatics and succulent strawberry fruit with anise accents.  Popped and poured.  Big fan of all of Bradley Brown's pinots. While this seductress captured everyone's attention early, the fruit forward nature detracted slightly from cuisine pairings.   This may change as it mellows with more bottle age.

2012 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard
Popped and poured. I have had better showings in the past from this wine.  Seemed thin compared to the other wines this evening.  A lighter style with balanced Rainier cherry fruit and earth. Subtle,  attractive aromatics.  May improve with age.

Overall, an interesting evening comparing terroir from Santa Cruz Mtns and Willamette Valley. ....

2000 Damilano Barolo Riserva

My first experience with the Damilano Riserva. This 2000 edition is one of the best Damilano wines I've had from any of their vintages.  Based on this experience,  I will seek out their Riserva's.  

Fruit is sourced from Castellero, Bussia, Parussi, Fossati, and Monvigliero vineyards from vines with 30 to 50 years of age.
Slow-O for 3 hours and then full decant for dinner. Graceful, lithe in body with delicate and very alluring fruit and aromatics. Very well balanced and quite translucent in color. One could certainly say that it resembled an excellent premier cru from Vosne-Romanee. WOTN.


Other wines at the dinner:

1997 Einaudi Barolo Costa Grimaldi - a serviceable '97... appeared a bit past its peak. Not nearly as balanced as the Damilano Riserva.  Heavier-handed flavor profile with tar, roses and tannins. 

2000 Boroli Villero - next to the other wines, this is an oak-monster with the modern style obscuring much of the beauty of the Villero terroir.  On its own, it could be interpreted as an attractive quaffable Barolo.

2012 Arterberry Maresh - Maresh Vineyard - glorious 13.2% abv ... so preferable to the new world pinot noirs that approach 15% abv these days.  A youngster of a traditional Oregon pinot noir.  Nose is reticent at this stage.  Fruit, forest and spices.  Needs time, but my overall impression is that it is a bit underwhelming for the price point.

2001 Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape les Hautes Brusquieres - I mentioned this one in an earlier post ... its a bit tired.

2002 LdH Vina Tondonia Reserva & 2001 Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape les Hautes Brusquieres

Paired with bell peppers stuffed with ground beef and mushrooms.

How can you tell a great wine?  When it is excellent even in an off vintage... the 2002 LdH Vina Tondonia Reserva is a classic example.   LdH wines are fast becoming a go-to wine for me.  This vintage is drinking perfectly now.   Deep cherry,  leather,  toasted hazelnuts and a sublime salinity underlying it all.  Traditional and absolutely gorgeous Rioja.

The 2001 Brusquieres is a classically styled 60/40 blend of grenache & syrah. Lovely raspberry,  creosote and garrigue.   The 2001 is not shining as brightly as the 2000 tasted in December but is still very good...
http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2015/01/2000-charbonniere-cdp-les-hautes.html?m=1

2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Stockholm Syndrome

A very rare bird from Manfred Krankl ... 96% Syrah,  3% Roussanne, 1% Viognier... from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills.  Leonard Taylor reports that this is a truly monumental wine.  Wonderful complexity with dark fruits, chocolate and a purity that flows across the palate. Supremely balanced... sexy, elegant and voluptuous!