Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Last night a group of "Connected" executives gathered for an evening of wine and conversation at Flemings in UTC's Aventine location here in San Diego as a follow up to last month's event at Roy's.
The wines as usual were superb and I must credit Bill Gillespie of Torrey Wines for his contributions and suggestions. Torrey Wines gratefully supplied us with three wines, including the now unavailable 2001 Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir, 2002 Lake Chalice Marlborough Riesling and the 1999 Wellington Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. From my cellar I pulled the very delightful 1999 Pirramina McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon.
2001 Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir
This wine really shows that very good Pinot Noir is coming from the New World and the Southern Hemisphere. With a Burgundy like palate and a Sonoma fruit flavor the rich, lush round wine is a real winner. Sadly, none of this wine is available at retail any longer as the entire allocation has since sold through. Flavors of bing cherry, light tar, ripe dried plums and coffee were in this wine that had a very velvety feel and a long lingering finish.
2002 Lake Chalice Marlborough Riesling
Another fine New Zealand wine, the Riesling had, as one guest commented, an almost Pinot Grigio feel to it. Oranges, lemon lime and honeydew flavors, all backed with Kiwi and apricot flavors. Unlike other more Germanic style of Rieslings from NZ, this was more Californian in style. Very pleasing to the palate, the wine had the roundness and lushness to stand up to a fresh lettuce salad with Caesar dressing.
1999 Wellington Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
A rather controversial wine, as some loved it, while others just thought it was fair. I was going back and forth on it, and felt that as it opened it became a better wine with wild cherry and hints of oak. This wine, which I had some six months back at a tasting, seems to have hit a dumb stage.
1999 Pirramina McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine was my favorite of the night, as its absolutely velvet palate weight, silky smooth and concentrated, this Australian red is a complete delight to enjoy, with flavors of black cherry, plums, cassis, red raspberry, blackberry and other stone fruits. The wine, which has an almost purple opaque color, is already drinking well, but likely can age for another five to seven years. It is very well balanced, with the oak perfectly integrated with the fruit, and the tannins almost invisible.
Andy Abramson
The wines as usual were superb and I must credit Bill Gillespie of Torrey Wines for his contributions and suggestions. Torrey Wines gratefully supplied us with three wines, including the now unavailable 2001 Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir, 2002 Lake Chalice Marlborough Riesling and the 1999 Wellington Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. From my cellar I pulled the very delightful 1999 Pirramina McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon.
2001 Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir
This wine really shows that very good Pinot Noir is coming from the New World and the Southern Hemisphere. With a Burgundy like palate and a Sonoma fruit flavor the rich, lush round wine is a real winner. Sadly, none of this wine is available at retail any longer as the entire allocation has since sold through. Flavors of bing cherry, light tar, ripe dried plums and coffee were in this wine that had a very velvety feel and a long lingering finish.
2002 Lake Chalice Marlborough Riesling
Another fine New Zealand wine, the Riesling had, as one guest commented, an almost Pinot Grigio feel to it. Oranges, lemon lime and honeydew flavors, all backed with Kiwi and apricot flavors. Unlike other more Germanic style of Rieslings from NZ, this was more Californian in style. Very pleasing to the palate, the wine had the roundness and lushness to stand up to a fresh lettuce salad with Caesar dressing.
1999 Wellington Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
A rather controversial wine, as some loved it, while others just thought it was fair. I was going back and forth on it, and felt that as it opened it became a better wine with wild cherry and hints of oak. This wine, which I had some six months back at a tasting, seems to have hit a dumb stage.
1999 Pirramina McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine was my favorite of the night, as its absolutely velvet palate weight, silky smooth and concentrated, this Australian red is a complete delight to enjoy, with flavors of black cherry, plums, cassis, red raspberry, blackberry and other stone fruits. The wine, which has an almost purple opaque color, is already drinking well, but likely can age for another five to seven years. It is very well balanced, with the oak perfectly integrated with the fruit, and the tannins almost invisible.
Andy Abramson
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