Pour Boys End of Summer ('23) Wine Dinner

Pour Boys End of Summer ('23) Wine Dinner Extravaganza

Our Pour Boys wine group gathered in Northwest Indiana for our end of summer / early fall wine dinner hosted by Dr Dan and Linda. As always, the group brought a spectacular wine flight to accompany the extensive dinner offering. Dan and Linda prepared smoked beef brisket BBQ which set the tone for robust hearty full fruit forward wines. 

As usual, Dan set out an extensive selection of charcuturie, meats and sausages, and artisan cheeses, three types of grilled shrimp and mushrooms. 

For dinner, Dan and Linda prepared bratwursts, grilled chicken breasts, smoked beef brisket and pulled pork, followed by an extensive medley of sides and salads. 

 

The Pour Boys collectively brought an extensive wine flight worthy of a feast, and a serious wine tasting.

As has become his custom, 'Champagne John' brought two bottle of vintage Champagne:

Bollinger Extra Brut Champagne RD 2007 (De'gorge 10 Juillette 2020)
Charles Heidsieck Rose' 2008 

Bollinger Extra Brut Champagne RD 2007 (De'gorge 10 Juillette 2020)

 The blend of this 2007 vintage is composed of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. It features 91% Grands Crus and 9% Premiers Crus. A total of 14 crus can be find in the blending. The fermentation is entirely in oak barrels.

Bollinger R.D. is sold just a few months after being disgorged, with a very low dosage known as “extra brut”, at just 3 grams per litre. The recent disgorgement guarantees the remarkable freshness of the wine.

The 2007 vintage marks a return to the roots of the R.D. cuvée and its historic label with the original material and legendary font of the 1952 vintage, once again showing the date of disgorging.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3916398

https://www.champagne-bollinger.com/en/wine/bollinger-rd-2007/ 

Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé Rosé 2008

Another special bottling, a blend of 63% Pinot Noir (including 9% of red wine) and 37% Chardonnay, this rosé from Charles Heidsieck is sourced from 11 grands and premiers crus sourced from Les Riceys in the far south of Champagne.

 It was awarded 98 points by James Suckling, 96 points by Decanter, and 95 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.

Beautiful rose colored, superbly balanced and tasty, toasted nutty character, perfect acidity with hints of apple, dried cherry and raspberry red fruits.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3321069

 

Eric did the honors of opening the Champagne with Dan's 'champagne sword' ... 

Dan followed the Champagne flight with an ultra premium vintage Chardonnay:

Sea Smoke Sta Rita Hills Estate Chardonnay 2014

We've had many vintages of this label over the years and I believe this vintage, at this age, tonight, was the best ever - in its sweet spot, at the apex of its drinking window! 

It was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Straw colored, medium bodied, concentrated white peach flavors predominate with notes of pear on a full smooth elegant finish.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3022299

https://www.seasmoke.com/ 

Followed by another Sea Smoke label from Dan's cellar, club allocation, pivoting to the reds ...

Sea Smoke Botella Sta Rita Hills California Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2009

This limited release label is from Dan's cellar and wine club allocation. 

It was rated 92 points by Wine Advocate. 

Garnet colored, medium bodied, dark fruit with accents of smoke, licorice and leather with a smooth polished lingering finish. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1102815

And the red flight continued; as I've written often in these pages, the order of tasting is based on a intricate studious mating dance we go through at the beginning of each event, establishing the tasting order based on previous experiences, sweetness, age, depth, weight and boldness and body. 

Much of the fun of the evening is determining in retrospect how accurate we were in determining the best or optimal tasting sequence. Invariably we're very close to being right on, or within a very few, very minor variations or adjustments, swapping a couple bottles' order, for the ultimate tasting experience!

Here is the tasting order of the evening, which as usual, was spot on, and required little of no modification as the evening went on. Of course, such changes are the basis of fun, animated and lively discussion for the wholehearted wine geeks!

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 2008

Dan offered this ultra-premium Sangiovese blend from his cellar. It received 94 points from James Suckling and Wine Advocate.

Full bodied, dark intense concentrated  black fruits with notes of mocha, spice and hints of tar on a chewy tannin laced long finish. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1799632

Ernie followed with his customary ultra-premium Bordeaux blends ... two spectacular releases ! 

Peter Michael Les Pavots 2005
Lynch Bages Pauillac Bordeaux 2010

 

Peter Michael "Les Pavots" Knights Valley Bordeaux Blend 2005

This is a Bordeaux 'right bank style blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot & 2% Petit Verdot, akin to a St.-Emilion or Pomerol. 

It was rated 95 points Int'l Wine Review and Wine Advocate, 93 points by Vinous, and 92 points and "Top 100 Wines of 2008" by Wine Spectator.

Delicious! We drank this wine from the Reserve Winelist at our Pour Boys dinner at the Del Ray Beach Wine Room back in 2021.  Tonight was consistent with that tasting when I gave it 94 points. 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/pour-boy-wine-dinner-at-del-ray-beach.html

Ernie brought this label to our Pour Boys OTBN night in 2014. 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/06/otbn-2014.html 

Deep ruby colored, full-bodied, complex and multi-dimensional yet impeccably balanced, elegant and harmonious; dark currant and black raspberry fruits with spices, tobacco, leather, chocolate and cassis notes with a smooth silky finish. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=505831

For me, while the Les Pavot was elegant and complex, the more expressive and forward Lynch Bages, along with the Del Dotto Syrah were the WOTN - Wines of the Night (due to the smoked BBQ pairing), along with the Sea Smoke Chardonnay! With a grilled beefsteak, the Les Pavots and Lynch Bages would've been a wonderful duel!

Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Bordeaux 2010

This is a spectacular wine, it was rated 98 points by Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, 97 points by Wine Advocate, and 96 points by Wine Spectator (also Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast and Decanter.

Dark garnet colored, full-bodied, layered, complex and multi-dimensional yet smooth, elegant and polished;  classic Pauillac dark berry and currant fruits accented by notes of cassis, cigar tobacco, and lead pencil graphite, with hints of oak and clove spice turning to firm, powdery tannins and lively acids on a long silky finish. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1123088

Then on to the Big Reds ... to accompany the BBQ ...

Bill brought this rare Carlisle Napa Valley Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel 2012

Followed by Lyle's, Seghesio Cortina Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2015

Then on to the Syrahs/Shiraz's ... 

I brought from our cellar this aged vintage classic label of which we've had great fun over the years, of which there are several stories across the group ... this was amazingly resilient and still going strong at 28 years.

D'Arenberg McLaren Vale "Dead Arm" Shiraz 1995

Consistent with earlier tastings, I first published a note on this wine in pre-blog days back in 2005, which I chose and opened from our cellar for my birthday dinner.

Eric brought this classic Chateau Tanunda "Chateau" 100 Year Old Vines Barossa Shiraz which we all discovered and of which we captured our unfair share of the extremely limited US/Midwest allocation through a special arrangement during the Grand Tour Chicago - Wine Tasting Extravaganza back in 2011. Lyle loved it and gave it WOTN while Bill thought it might be reaching end of its prime drinking window. 

Pour Boys at that 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour

Tanunda 100 Year Vine Shiraz 2008

John brought this classic, highly allocated rare Washington State Shiraz which he also brought from the 2012 vintage to our Pour Boys OTBN 2020 ~ Open That Bottle Night.  I wrote about the label  and producer extensively in my post of that event.

Cayuse Bionic Frog Walla Walla Valley Shiraz 2013

Bill brought this rare ultra-premium label from a well known favorite producer - I've never seen this label from a producer we thought we knew well.

Killikanoon Attunga "1865" Clare Valley Shiraz 2004

Another spectacular wine - an embarrassment of riches throughout this tasting. We love the Killikanoon "Oracle" label and never knew about this ultra-premium label from them. This special limited release label is released only in years of exceptional quality.

This Attunga "1865" single vineyard, Clare Valley Shiraz is named due to its source, from some of Australia's oldest living vines - 900 individual Shiraz vines, planted in 1865. According to winemaker Kevin Mitchell, it is the oldest commercially active vineyard still producing in the Clare Valley. 

This was rated  98 points by Wine Advocate and 97 points by Wine Advocate. 

It appears very little of this very limited release makes it to America. Cellartracker, which we use to track our wines, and the marketplace, has over 10 million reviewer tasting notes and has no listing for this label.

Deep purple-colored, full round, rich, concentrated yet elegant and polished, black and blue fruits with notes of floral, creosote and crushed rocks. 

https://kilikanoon.com.au/collections/back-vintage-wines/attunga

 

We closed the red wine flight with this label we tasted during our tour and tasting at the producer's estate Del Dotto Napa Valley Cave Tour Barrel Tasting, and acquired during our Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience culinary tasting at the producer's other property estate, Piazza Del Dotto, back in 2018. 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with my last bottle tasted earlier back in 2019. 

Del Dotto Cinghiale For Ross Seaview Sonoma County Vineyard Syrah 2014

To close, Lyle brought what has become somewhat custom, a vintage port dessert wine for the final course (s). Terry brought her decadent, spectacular orange cake, which Dan and Linda served alongside gourmet chocolates, chocolate cake and a selection of ice creams including sea salt caramel, and others.

Dow Vintage Port 1997

A classic vintage port from a spectacular vintage. This was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and 94 points by Wine Enthusiast, and 92 points by Int'l Wine Cellar.

Ruby colored, medium-full bodied, black currant fruits with bittersweet cocao, notes of dark mocha, expresso, sweet fig and herbs with a long smooth balanced finish. 

Unlike Attunga above with no Cellartracker listing, this classic label is four digit 2186 out of the hundreds of thousands of labels registered. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2186 

Notice, Two-fisted Dan directing the orchestrated proceedings ... 

Thanks all for another spectacular wine and dine evening.

Pour Boys Fall Wine Dinner

Pour Boys Fall Wine Dinner features spectacular wines and food pairings

We hosted our Pour Boys wine group fall wine dinner. Bill & Beth came in from South Carolina, escaping Hurricane Ian, Dr Dan & Linda from Indiana, and Lyle and Terry out from the City. 

We were joined by son Sean and Michelle and grand-daughter Lavender, recently new neighbors, and son Ryan and wine buddy Dave M. 

 Each time we think we have out done ourselves with a spectacular wine flight, we seem to step it up another level, and tonight was another such occasion. 

We started with a pair of premium California Chardonnays with grilled scallops in beure blanc sauce, baked brie in pastry with toasted almonds and figs, with fresh berries and toast points, and deviled eggs. 

Nickle and Nickle Sonoma County Russian River Valley Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2010

Dan brought a recent release of this label which we set aside to drink this older vintage release. 

Lyle wanted to try a certain St Julien Bordeaux from his cellar so I opened an older vintage of the same label for a mini vertical tasting of Château Branaire-Ducru. We then opened another Bordeaux from the same vintage for a mini horizontal tasting as well. 

Château Branaire-Ducru St Julien 2005 and 2010

Linda and I visited and toured Château Branaire-Ducru Chateau winery and vineyards (below) during our St Julien Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2019. We also visited Pauillac and the vineyards and grounds of Château Pichon Lalande (below), one of my absolute favorite producers' labels.

 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac 2010

As we then moved to the dinner courses we opened a selection of California Bordeaux varietals and blends, starting with Linda's stuffed mushrooms followed by chopped wedge dinner salad. 

Linda then served grilled Tomahawk Rib-eye beefsteaks with a medley of grilled vegetables - corn, brussel sprouts, carrots, haricot verts, and onions, and scalloped potatoes.

Linda then served with the grilled Tomahawk Rib-eye beefsteaks a delicious medley of grilled vegetables - corn, brussel sprouts, carrots, haricot verts and onions, and her super scalloped potatoes.

Flight of California Bordeaux varietals and red blends - 

Chateau St Jean 'Cinq Cepages' Sonoma Red Blend 1997

We have visited the magnificent Chateau St Jean in northern Sonoma Valley numerous times over the years during trips to Napa and Sonoma, including a couple visits with Bill and Beth. 

Most recently we visited Chateau St Jean in Sonoma and did a Reserve Private Tasting with Dr Dan and Bill during our Napa Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017 (shown left).

Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' Red Blend 2011

Fellow wine buddy Ernie couldn't make it tonight. He's a wine club member from this producer and often brings this wine to our dinners. We've been fans and collectors of this wine for decades and pulled from the cellar this vintage release of a favorite label to match/compare with the same vintage Diamond Creek, another legendary label. 

Peter Michael hails from Newbury in Berkshire, England where I worked for fifteen years back in the eighties and nineties. I regret this was in the early days before he became a legendary American wine producer and hospitality entrepreneur over there, and that I never got to meet him during my almost two hundred trips to the region. 

Diamond Creek Vineyards Napa Valley Diamond Mountain Gravelly Meadow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

We've visited Diamond Creek Winery on several occasions over the years. We did a private tasting with Bill and Beth during our Diamond Mountain Wine Experience - Diamond Creek Vineyards back in 2011, and then again with Bill and Beth and Dan for the Diamond Creek Open House 2015 Release Tasting in 2017 (shown left).

Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Vineyard Napa Valley Red Blend 2009

Brandlin Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

We were then joined by son Ryan and his neighbor, wine buddy, Dave; Ryan brought a couple of big reds from Napa Valley and Dave brought a classic Aussie Shiraz/Syrah. 

Ryan and Dave recently hosted a spectacular Boy's Night Out cellar tour and tasting that I wrote about in these pages.

Phillippe Melka 'Metisse' MontBleau Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Seven Apart 'Expedition' Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

To accompany and pare with the Melka I pulled from our cellar a vintage release for a vertical comparison. It was fun to compare these Phillippe Melka labels in light of our recent visit to Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winery where we met Eric White, President and Winemaker for Galena Cellars who in 2015,  went to cult-cab Napa Valley producer Brand, and worked with Phillippe Melka there.

Phillippe Melka 'Metisse' Napa Valley Red Blend 2000

Wine buddy Dave brought from his cellar this classic Australian Shiraz/Syrah signed by the producer.

Mollydooker Velvet Glove McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006

 This signed bottle is especially appreciated as a special bottle as it is signed by Mollydooker co-founder producer Sparky Marquis (who has since left the business). Sparky is a personal friend and fellow racing enthusiast with a colleague and business associate,  Peter F, who manages Australia and the Asia Pac region in my business.  

For dessert, Linda served her delectable chocolate mousse with homemade profiteroles with fresh berries and whipped cream. 

To accompany the dessert course we pulled from the cellar an aged birthyear vintage port from Ryan's birth year.

Warres' Late Bottled Vintage Port 1982

As the evening progressed, to settle or substantiate debates and claims, and open questions about the Napa Valley vintage years 2004 and 2005, the guys ventured back down to the cellar to pull a couple Napa Cabernets from those vintages.

Ryan and Dave - photo from
Caroline Ct Wine Boys 22

Darioush Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvigon 2004 

This was somewhat special because we were first introduced to Darioush and first had a wine dinner together with Bill and Beth at a Cress Creek Country Club wine dinner back around the millennium.

We've visited Darioush several times over the years. Most notably was a private wine dinner hosted by Darioush and Domaine de Chevalier at Everest Dining Room. Chicago, with a special dinner matched to a flight of wines from Darioush and Domaine Chevalier. 

 

This fabulous private dinner was hosted by Darioush & Shaptar Kaledi of Darioush Winery and Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier (shown left with a much younger me). Dr Dan attended with us as our guest for this special dinner.

Most recently, we all visited the Darioush Napa Valley Estate Winery Visit & Tasting during our 'Pour Boys'  Sonoma/NapaValley Wine Experience back in 2017.

 

Paradigm Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvingnon 2005

 

Linda and I visited the Paradigm Oakville estate winery and vineyards and were hosted by owners Ren and Marilyn Harris back in 1999, as part of our Napa Valley Wine Experience 1999, and have been collecting this label every since.

Unless we manage another group dinner in the meantime, we'll next meet for our annual OTBN - "Open That Bottle Night", as is customary, the last Saturday in February. Following the seasons, we'll meet down on Seabrook Island in Charleston at Bill and Beth's. We hope then to possibly be joined by Bob & Gloria from Palm Beach County, and perhaps Ernie, and possibly Eric and Cathy, whom were all unavailable for tonight's gala.

Winers and Diners Cityscape Deck Wine Dinner '21

 Winers and Diners, Pour Boy's Cityscape Deck Wine Dinner '21

The 'Pour Boys' gathered for the annual Winers and Diners Cityscape Deck Dinner hosted by Lyle and Terry F in their west loop dual condo. Since they first moved to the neighborhood it has undergone an incredible renaissance transformation with the Oprah Harpo studios being demolished and replaced by the McDonalds World HQ complex, Google and numerous other hi-tech firms moving into the new developments in the area. 

Lyle and Terry merged their condo with an adjacent unit and transformed the second kitchen into a purpose built custom designed wine cellar. They also completely renovated and expanded their existing kitchen and transformed the adjacent space into a dining area. 

Of course one of the most distinguished highlight features of their residence is the extraordinary adjoining deck with views of the skyscrapers of the nearby loop. 

The evening was perfect with ideal weather conditions of a pleasant early autumn evening.

Pour Boys on the cityscape deck.

Lyle and Terry prepared grilled filets of beef, scalloped potatoes, brussel sprouts from Duck Inn Chicago, where we ate as a group recently, ceasar salad, green beans and carrots.Prior to the main course they served grilled scallops, and a selection of artisan cheeses, olives, and deviled eggs.

Pour Boys Winers and Diners Dinner -
photo by Linda M

For the wine flight planning, I suggested Bordeaux Blends to accompany the beefsteaks. 

I had an aged vintage Joseph Phelps Insignia from 1989, one of Bill and Beth's sons' birthyear.
That, coupled with Dan's deep vertical of, and collection of this label as a long time club member and collector, I suggested we bring Insignia's from our cellars, for those of us that had such. 

We visited the magnificent Joseph Phelps Winery and Vineyards in Napa Valley together during our Napa Wine Experience in 2017, one of the highlights of that trip. 

So, our wine flight was anchored by the vertical of Phelp's Insignia consisting of:

Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Blend 1989, 2000, 2007 and 2008. 

 

Note the three generations of wine labels during this period. 

The red wine Phelps Insignia vertical flight was augmented by the following additional wines:

Domaine Jean Grivot Bossieres Vosne Romanee Burgundy 2002
Peter Michael Les Pavots Red Wine 2005
Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Rubissow Napa Valley Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Newton "Puzzle" Napa Valley Spring Mountain District Red Blend 2016
Cos d' Estournel St Estephe Bordeaux 2009

Prior to the red flight we had a selection of white wines including French Champagne and California Methode Champonais Sparkling Wine. 

Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Brut Champagne 2006
Sea Smoke 'Sea Spray' Santa Rita Hills Sparkling Wine 2015
Sea Smoke 'Gratis' Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2012

John brought the Salon Les Mesnil from his cellar, which has become somewhat of a tradition, and Dan brought the duo of Sea Smoke labels, Gratis Chardonnay and Sea Spray, from Santa Rita Hills.  

 

Salon Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne 2006 

John brought this classic cellar selection that he has brought in earlier years.

This 2006 release was awarded 100 points, a 'Cellar Selection' by Wine Enthusiast, 97 points by James Suckling and Vinous, 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 95 points by Decanter.

This release from a great vintage for Chardonnay in Champagne was considered perfect by Wine Enthusiast.

The 2006 Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut is silver-golden color, pure and fresh mouthfilling, round and elegant, well balanced, creamy and elegant. Beautifully fresh acidity, rich creamy lemon and white peaches with tongue-gripping minerality.

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2595658

 

 The wine flight was concluded with bottles of Chateau Suduiraut dessert wine. Ernie brought the 2013 and I brought the 2002.

Chateau Suduiraut Sauterne Bordeaux 2002 and 2013

As has become custom and tradition of our Lyle and Terry hosted wine dinners, Terry prepared her delectable, decadent Orange Cake and her cheesecake with chocolate sauce and fresh berries. 

Steve S brought this Burgundy Pinot Noir for opening the red flight as we transitioned from the white wines to the reds.

Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru "Bossieres" 2002

A different profile and character than the bigger bolder Bordeaux varietals, this Burgundy is based on the native Burgundy varietal Pinot Noir. It was a nice transition wine from the flight of whites to the reds. It was a nice accompaniment to the deviled eggs, olives and selection of cheeses.

Ruby colored, light-medium bodied, cherry and red current fruits with notes of spice, dusty forest floor, earth, mushrooms and hints of vanilla.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=20610

Some wine tasting observations from the evening:

The Insignia vertical flight was fun and interesting, as to be expected, as such comparison tastings of multiple vintages of the same label usually are. 

Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Blend 1989

We tasted this same vintage release of this bottle at Dr Dan's at OTBN in 2020. Tonight was consistent with that tasting experience when I wrote the following: "Drank adjacent a 2006 Insignia.' 

"Garnet colored, slightly opaque, this was medium bodied, lighter than I expected, with dark berry fruits, notes of anise, spice, plums and currants. A mere shadow of the bigger, more concentrated and fruit filled 2006, not due to age, but likely indicative of a lesser vintage and perhaps lesser selection of the fruits."

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/03/otbn-2002.html

Tonight, the 1989 vintage Insignia, at 32 years, was in remarkably good condition, showing impressive aging steadfastness in a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Indicating excellent provenance cellar and aging conditions, the label, and foil were in excellent condition, the fill level was ideal, appropriate, customary at low neck above the shoulder.  The cork was slightly saturated but generally in excellent condition. 

This wine was past its prime but still within an acceptable drinking window, the color was good, dark garnet colored, the structure was medium bodied, holding together nicely, the fruit was still in-tact showing only slight but expected levels of diminution from aging, the black berry and plum notes giving way to tones of spice, earthy leather, tobacco leaf and tea. 

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=14182  

Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Blend 2000

This bottle was one of the surprises of the evening, for the wrong reasons, it was a bit disappointing showing less than we expected and hoped. 

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, black berry and plum fruits with moderate structure and backbone, this too was past its prime, and still within its acceptable drinking window, but more akin to the 30 year old than the dozen year old vintage releases in comparison. The fruits giving way to earth, leather and notes of tea. 

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=4283

Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Blend 2007 

This was one of the standouts of the evening, likely at the apex of its drinking window, dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, big, forward, complex, concentrated, vibrant bright fruits with dusty, firm tannins, notes of anise, tobacco, cigar box and black tea. 

RM 94

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=674245

Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Blend 2008

Another surprise of the evening, this was the Insignia profile of the flight, but a bit closed and tight with slightly subdued black fruits, it took a while to open indicating it needs a couple more years to integrate and open to reveal its true character and full flavor profile - still, concentrated, big, impressive and elegant.

RM 93 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=880843

Chateau Cos d' Estournel 2009

This was another standout of the evening, showing well with big bold complexity and concentrated fruits - also likely at the apex of its drinking window, but likely too to age beautifully for a couple more decades. 

We saw the legendary St Estephe estate during our trip to Bordeaux in 2018. We hold several vintages of this classic label dating back to the early 80's. This too would make for a marvelous vertical wine flight with its extensive longevity with drinking windows that would span several decades.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex, elegant, polished and nicely integrated full forward bright vibrant black berry and currant fruits with earthy tobacco, notes of anise, spice, herbs and black tea with oaky, silky tannins on a long lingering finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=874488

 

Peter Michael Les Pavots Sonoma County Knights Valley Red Wine 

Ernie brought this ultra-premium label from his cellar. Records show he brought this vintage of this label to an earlier Pour-Boys dinner back in 2014. 

Les Pavots is an estate bottled Bordeaux blend from the slopes of Mt Helena above the eastern Knights Valley in Sonoma County. This release is a Bordeaux Blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot & 2% Petit Verdot.

This release got huge reviews and scores - 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator and 93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Pour Boys Dr Dan, Bill and I attended our special wine dinner back in June of this year down in Florida when we had this label.  Ernie was not with us that night. but we toasted him noting he collects this label as a member of their club. At that time, I researched and wrote in this blog that Ernie served this same label to us at our OTBN wine gathering tasting in 2014.

This was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and 92 points by Wine Spectator.

Parker likened this wine more to a Right Bank Merlot based blend, "a sensational wine, with a style that suggests a hypothetical blend of a great St.-Emilion and Pomerol". 

This was not like my earlier tasting six years ago, when I wrote this was "Dark ruby colored, elegant and polished, full bodied with full complex concentrated layers of blackberry, black raspberry and blackcurrant with tones of black tea, cigar box and hint of dark mocha and cedar on a silky smooth finish," and at that time gave this 95 points. 

This was more subdued and modest with the fruit being more restrained and less concentrated and less complex than earlier. Perhaps this was due to the comparison with the bigger more forward wines compared against it tonight. 

Tonight I would give this 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=505831

http://www.petermichaelwinery.com/

https://twitter.com/PMWinery

 @PMWinery

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/pour-boy-wine-dinner-at-del-ray-beach.html

Beaulieu Vineyard "Georges de Latour Private Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Lyle pulled this ultra premium Napa Bordeaux Blend from his cellar. This received from 94 points Vinous, 93 points from Wine Spectator, 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocateand  Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.  

This is a blend of Bordeaux varietals, 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot and was aged in new French oak for 22 months.

Coming across like the Les Pavot, this was more elegant and polished, coming across more subdued and subtle than some of the bigger, bolder more concentrated forward wines. 

Deep garnet-purple colored, notes of plum and dark berry fruits accented by spice, touches of tobacco, mocha, hints of mint, licorice and graphite with a lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1668973

Newton "Puzzle" Napa Valley Spring Mountain Red Wine 2016

I came across this ultra-premium label recently and picked up several bottles to share and compare, commemorating the wine from this producer that we served at our son's wedding welcome reception a couple weeks ago. 

I served that wine from our son Alec's birthyear 1990 vintage from a six liter Imperial large format bottle. Hence I wanted to try a recent release of that wine that has recently appeared in the marketplace. 

This is a Bordeaux Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It was rated 94 by James Suckling. 

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, complex and flavorful black berry and black raspberry fruits with accents of spice, tangy acidity, hints of dark cocao, vanilla and black tea. Yet this was less concentrated and forward than some of the other wines tasted tonight. I put this near the middle of the spectrum.

RM 92 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2720196

https://www.newtonvineyard.com/en-US/our-wines/puzzle/

Rubissow Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Bill brought this from his cellar from Charleston. We visited this producer estate vineyards high atop Mt Veeder during our Mt Veeder Napa Valley Wine Experience back in 2011. At that time we met with the founder, George Rubissow and tasted and acquired earlier releases of this label. Bill subsequently acquired this later release as well.

In their peak production, Rubissow produced about 5000 cases per year. In 2016, with their vintage release, they announced 'that after 37 years, the property would be taken over by new ownership'. With their 2016 release, they wrote at the time, "When Tim made this wine, he and we didn’t yet know that it would be our final Rubissow Reserve, but just as well."

This bottle was another one of the surprises of the evening, showing bright vibrant expressive fruits and tangy spices. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, black berry and black raspberry fruits with note of tangy clove and cinnamon spices, hints of cigar box and black tea on a lingering finish. 

RM 91 points.

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