Saturday, December 13, 2003
A group of six of us assembled at our usual temple of carnivorous delights, Flemings Steak House and Wine Bar where the glasses are always plentiful and the service is always perfect.
2003 Neil Ellis Sincerely Sauvignon Blanc
One of our more esteemed members proclaimed this wine to be the way Sauvignon Blanc should taste. I tended to agree as it has all of the youthful charms and characteristics that one expects from Sancerre. The only difference is it comes from South Africa. Loaded with kiwi, gooseberry, grapefruit and pineapple flavors, this rich and banana cream filled wine was a tremendous starting point for the evening. Totally in balance, the wine is a fruit forward wine, with gentle acidity. While I don't think this wine is built to age like the regular Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc, who cares. Bring on the oysters. Take me to Paris. This is a total bistro wine made for the sheer pleasure of one thing. Drinking.....
2002 Carmody McKnight Paso Robles Chardonnay
Here's a prototypical California Chardonnay. Big and broad across the shoulders, a hint of butter, some apples, yellow pears and dried figs. It's a nice wine, well made and easy to drink.
1993 Chateau de Lascaux Pic St. Loup Coteaux du Languedoc
This is the regular bottling at age ten. Not a hint of age on this wine other than its maturation. Gone are the tannins that were there to let this baby mature at a comfortable rate. Ripe black cherry cola, notes of mocha, black plums, blueberry and elderberry. The wine has that tell tale Garrigue flavor that one recognizes the minute you open the bottle. Ripe and jammy still, this is an example of why Languedoc reds should be left to mature.
1998 Yalumba The Signature Red
A blend of Cabernet and Shiraz, this wine had some people saying "a baby Grange" when it came to the power in the glass. While I wouldn't go that far, as the Cabernet portion was rather potent and dominant in the bouquet with its sweet cedar and cherry aromas, I would say this is one heck of a great wine, and a release that seriously needs time to age. Layered with lead pencil, black cherry, plums, berries and a hint of mint, the Yalumba wine has the stuffing to stand up perfectly with the herb crusted bone in New York Strip steak that was cooked to perfection.
2002 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet-Shriaz
All the typical expectations were met with this easy to drink, forward and ripe South Australian red that's made from grapes sourced across South Australia. Layers of red fruits, chocolate, mocha, hazelnut, a touch of cinnamon and a lingering finish. The wine is almost a signature blend for Penfolds at this point, and while it has grace and elegance, it's no in the league with the Yalumba.
1995 Grosset Gaia Red Blend
This wine never fails to leave me wanting more. A proprietary red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the wine is about as close to a Bordeaux red as you will find from Australia. Soft, very approachable and likely to be so for another five years or more, the wine has that sexy mouth feel that makes you want to just drink all you can. It's got a wonderful medley of fruit flavors that are so nicely woven that you won't even feel any alcoholic notes at all. No heat. No tannin, just drop, upon drop of fresh black stone fruits and soft berry flavors.
1990 Ridge Geyserville
This wine was simply stunning. If put into a blind taste test of current release California Zinfandels no one would have noticed this was the infidel. This release which is only 62 percent Zin, with the balance being Petite Sirah and Cariganan, was hands down the red wine of the night, edging out the Yalumba and Grosset by a case of pulled corks. To describe this is difficult, not because there isn't enough to say about it, but because there is. Jammy. Lead Pencil. Meaty. Herbal--not herbaceous. Layers of copious fruits ranging from berries to to plums to cherries. A deep running vein of stone and minerals. This wine is without a doubt one of the best Ridge wines I've had since the 1973 and 1974 Fiddletown Zinfandel, and may be my all time best bottle of Zin. Period.
Cheers,
Andy
2003 Neil Ellis Sincerely Sauvignon Blanc
One of our more esteemed members proclaimed this wine to be the way Sauvignon Blanc should taste. I tended to agree as it has all of the youthful charms and characteristics that one expects from Sancerre. The only difference is it comes from South Africa. Loaded with kiwi, gooseberry, grapefruit and pineapple flavors, this rich and banana cream filled wine was a tremendous starting point for the evening. Totally in balance, the wine is a fruit forward wine, with gentle acidity. While I don't think this wine is built to age like the regular Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc, who cares. Bring on the oysters. Take me to Paris. This is a total bistro wine made for the sheer pleasure of one thing. Drinking.....
2002 Carmody McKnight Paso Robles Chardonnay
Here's a prototypical California Chardonnay. Big and broad across the shoulders, a hint of butter, some apples, yellow pears and dried figs. It's a nice wine, well made and easy to drink.
1993 Chateau de Lascaux Pic St. Loup Coteaux du Languedoc
This is the regular bottling at age ten. Not a hint of age on this wine other than its maturation. Gone are the tannins that were there to let this baby mature at a comfortable rate. Ripe black cherry cola, notes of mocha, black plums, blueberry and elderberry. The wine has that tell tale Garrigue flavor that one recognizes the minute you open the bottle. Ripe and jammy still, this is an example of why Languedoc reds should be left to mature.
1998 Yalumba The Signature Red
A blend of Cabernet and Shiraz, this wine had some people saying "a baby Grange" when it came to the power in the glass. While I wouldn't go that far, as the Cabernet portion was rather potent and dominant in the bouquet with its sweet cedar and cherry aromas, I would say this is one heck of a great wine, and a release that seriously needs time to age. Layered with lead pencil, black cherry, plums, berries and a hint of mint, the Yalumba wine has the stuffing to stand up perfectly with the herb crusted bone in New York Strip steak that was cooked to perfection.
2002 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet-Shriaz
All the typical expectations were met with this easy to drink, forward and ripe South Australian red that's made from grapes sourced across South Australia. Layers of red fruits, chocolate, mocha, hazelnut, a touch of cinnamon and a lingering finish. The wine is almost a signature blend for Penfolds at this point, and while it has grace and elegance, it's no in the league with the Yalumba.
1995 Grosset Gaia Red Blend
This wine never fails to leave me wanting more. A proprietary red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the wine is about as close to a Bordeaux red as you will find from Australia. Soft, very approachable and likely to be so for another five years or more, the wine has that sexy mouth feel that makes you want to just drink all you can. It's got a wonderful medley of fruit flavors that are so nicely woven that you won't even feel any alcoholic notes at all. No heat. No tannin, just drop, upon drop of fresh black stone fruits and soft berry flavors.
1990 Ridge Geyserville
This wine was simply stunning. If put into a blind taste test of current release California Zinfandels no one would have noticed this was the infidel. This release which is only 62 percent Zin, with the balance being Petite Sirah and Cariganan, was hands down the red wine of the night, edging out the Yalumba and Grosset by a case of pulled corks. To describe this is difficult, not because there isn't enough to say about it, but because there is. Jammy. Lead Pencil. Meaty. Herbal--not herbaceous. Layers of copious fruits ranging from berries to to plums to cherries. A deep running vein of stone and minerals. This wine is without a doubt one of the best Ridge wines I've had since the 1973 and 1974 Fiddletown Zinfandel, and may be my all time best bottle of Zin. Period.
Cheers,
Andy
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