Showing posts with label v2000. Show all posts
Showing posts with label v2000. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago

Team working dinner at Italian Village Chicago features Super Tuscan and Bolgheri Chianti Classico

 
Ive written regularly in earlier blogposts about our wine and dinners, about Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant in Chicago. As is our custom, IV Wine Director and buddy Jared Gelband served up a duo of Italian varietal wines from the expansive winelist to showcase our dinner selections, as we have done several times over the last couple months. 

With dinner, tonight we selected two wines from the winelist, a recent release new arrival Super Tuscan from Antinori, and a vintage release Tuscan Blend from notable Italian producer Baron Ricasoli.

Barone Ricasoli is one of Chianti’s largest estates, with nearly 650 acres of vineyards in Gaiole in Chianti, in the southern part of the Tuscany’s Chianti appellation. The estate has been in the Ricasoli family for more than 500 years dating back to 1141. Their estate and magnificent Brolio Castle are located within the town of Gaiole.

The Ricasoli family recognized the great potential of the Brolio territory and were among the first to dedicate themselves to the improvement of agriculture and vineyards in the region. Documents from the late 1600s report the first wine exports to Amsterdam and England.

In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli (1809 – 1880), politician and visionary wine entrepreneur, originated the formula for Chianti wine, known today as Chianti Classico. 

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area of the Italian Tuscany, or Toscana in Italian, wine region, Italy’s best-known wine region and its most diverse. The Ricasoli estate covers nearly 3000 acres of property that include almost 600 acres of vineyards and 26 of olive groves covering rolling hills and picturesque valleys with thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.

Historically Sangiovese was the primary grape grown in Tuscany and Chianti was considered the purest expression of Sangiovese. Sangiovese and its many clones are still important, and they are the grapes used for the Tuscan appellations of Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, Chianti, Chianti Classico and Carmignano. 

Baron Francesco Ricasoli took the reigns in 1993 and has been guiding the central Tuscan company when this label was released and re-launched Barone Ricasoli as fine premium wine producer, representing the heritage of his renowned ancestors who have made this territory great and established the Bettino Ricasoli brand. He totally renovated and completely mapped the vineyards. His wines showcase the distinctive terroir of the soil types, the climate and clonal selections of the Brolio Sangiovese.

Today, Ricasoli produce a portfolio of a dozen labels of premium wines, some only in prime years, several labels of Grappa, and a line of Olive Oils, sourced and crafted from the the Broglio Chianti Classico estate.

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (Sangiovese) Toscana IGT 2000

This 2000 vintage release is a blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Merlot. It was aged in small french oak barrels for 18 months which along with the Merlot in the blend, softens the tannins. 
 
The grapes were sourced from estate vineyards set 350 – 400 meters above sea level, mainly from the vineyard of the same name with southwest exposure, with a predominance of calcareous sandstone and Alberese stone.

Today production of this label is 135,000 bottles in a prodigious vintage year.

Wine Spectator awarded this vintage release 90 points.

At twenty-one years, this was starting to show its age and is reaching the end of its drinking window. The fill level, foil and cork (shown left) were ideal for the age. 

While past its prime, this wine was an ideal pairing with the slight gaminess of my Pheasant Agnolotinni pasta in sage butter sauce with Parmigiana-Regianno, a Italian Village Chef Jose Specialty.

This was initially a bit funky with some barnyard earthiness which burned off after decanting and aerating back and forth three times. This was dark garnet colored with a bit of browning on the rim, medium full bodied, powerful full and forward black fruits are starting to give way to notes of cedar, black tea, olive tapenade, leather and hints of creosote on the deep, full, lingering tannic finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17527

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2000/ 

@ricasoli_1141

Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato 2019, Bolgheri DOC

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC appellation on the coast of Upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest of Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history as it was established in 1994 but has gained worldwide recognition as a new reference point in the international oenological scene. The estate covers an area of 2500 acres, of which about 790 acres are planted with vines. The remainder is richly covered with wheat fields, sunflowers and olive groves, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the “Bolgheri amphitheater” due to its particular shape. 

The Guado al Tasso estate is one of nine major well known brand of the vast Antinori family wine empire. Guado al Tasso’s vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino grapes; this last cultivated with both with white and red varieties. Adjacency to the nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant breezes mitigate summer heat and alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight exposure. 

The Il Bruciato label was created in the year 2002 as the the second wine under the flagship Guado al Tasso. It is crafted to represent the unique terroir of Bolgheri and give it a greater visibility and recognition. The first blend to be used was that of Guado al Tasso only to see, in the years which followed, a modification of the varietal composition and the identification of a series of vineyard plots intended to be used exclusively for this wine. 

Il Bruciato is now regarded as a modern interpretation of Bolgheri’s unique terroir made from carefully selected Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah grapes from all around Guado al Tasso’s vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot, Syrah and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and the final blend was reintroduced into barriques where it was left to age before bottling.

A widely popular wine known for great value with exceptional QPR - quality-price-ration, this is one of the few Italian labels I regularly keep in our cellar for dependable everyday sipping, but also respectable for a fine dinner accompaniment. 

I served the 2016 release of this label at a team dinner reecntly, the last of my holdings from that vintage. I write more about this label in that blogpost. The 2018 release sold out very quickly making this 2019 even more anticipated. While this is a wine that has increased in price significantly over the past few years it remains a great value and is a real must-buy for regular Bolgheri enthusiasts. 

Bright ruby colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant expressive black cherry and black berry fruits with  spices, tobacco, milk chocolate, cedar and notes of graphite on the tangy acidic finish.

RM 91 points. 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: Il Bruciato 2019 is intensely ruby red in color. Its nose expresses notes of small dark fruit, sweet spices and tobacco. Its well-structured palate is harmonious and very pleasant to drink. Fresh fruity notes dominate the finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2904858

https://www.antinori.it/en/vino/il-bruciato-en/ 


 

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Tomahawk Rib-eye Dinner features Robert Craig Affinity Duo

Tomahawk Rib-eye Dinner features Robert Craig Affinity Duo and perhaps the best Affinity ever


With son Alec and daughter-in-law Vivianna staying with us, Linda prepared spectacular grilled tomahawk rib-eyes for dinner, carefully prepared 'Pittsbugh style', with grilled onion rings, haricot verts and whipped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this duo of aged vintage Robert Craig Affinity's from the 2000 and 2007 vintages as a mini-vertical tasting of this label, one of our favorites.

We hold many fond memories of dinners, lunches and other tasting events with Robert Craig and partner and wife Lynn during many of our Napa Valley wine tours, and hearing Robert talk about this label.

This is the Bordeaux Blend of the Robert Craig portfolio that Robert always took immense pride in as his entry level introduction to his 'five mountains and a valley' appellation select Napa Cabernets. He took pride in holding the price point on this level which provided great QPR - quality price ratio value. He also took pride in this providing early gratification quality drinking at an early age, yet as shown tonight, it has some longevity for aging for a decade or more. 

I wrote year before last, after Robert's passing in a Tribute to Robert Craig, when the business turned over to new leadership, the price of the Affinity label understandably crept up to 'market' pricing, a not insignificant increase. Current 'published price' for this at several merchants is $89. I used to try to buy it at sub-$50 prices. 

Robert never promoted or played up the fact this label was a carefully crafted  Bordeaux Blend comprising all the Bordeaux varietals. He did promote it as an introduction to the portfolio of Robert Craig Napa Valley Cabernets.

I've written often that Robert Craig wines are one of the largest holdings in our cellar collection. We hold more than two dozen vintages of this label dating back to the inaugural release in 1993, as well as several of the single appellation designated selections. I question how those earliest vintages have held up and need to consume them, both as part of cellar management and thinning our collection. This tasting was part of that effort. 

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2000  

This showed more fruit, balance and complexity than recent earlier tastings, perhaps due to its ideal complementary pairing with the grilled beefsteak. 

Still holding its own, and while it won't improve further, its probably at the end of its apex, but still well within the acceptable drinking window, again showing the age-ability of Robert Craig and other carefully crafted Napa Valley Cabernets.

At two decades this is still holding its own, past its prime perhaps and not likely to improve with further aging, but drinking nicely and no need to hurry consuming any remaining bottles. 

Dark purple/garnet colored, medium to full bodied, this initially opened to a slight funkiness that revealed its age, which soon burned off to a complex, polished, nicely balanced sophisticated Cabernet with forward black berry and black raspberry fruits with a layer of pleasant, sweet, spicy oak accented by hint of tobacco leaf, black tea and leather, turning to tones of black cherry on the lingering moderate tannin finish.

RM 92 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2365862

Robert Craig "Affinity" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 2007 

This release was awarded 96 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points Wine Enthusiast.

We first tasted this wine from a barrel sample and acquired this release during the Robert Craig Howell Mountain Harvest Party '09 back in 2009. 

Robert Parker wrote in 2009, "Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the next 15 or possibly 20 years. This is the best group of wines I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Winery. Not only is there not a single disappointment in this portfolio, but these are all noteworthy wines, with thrilling levels of quality. Moreover, they are moderately priced for Napa Valley as well as ageworthy. I think these are the finest wines that I have ever tasted from Robert Craig Cellars."

Wine Enthusiast wrote of this release, 'Craig has produced his best bottling since the late 1990s'.

This year’s blend is heavier on the petit verdot, with a composition of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec.

This exceeded my expectations for this label and indeed was one of the best drinking Affinity's in memory. At fifteen years, this seems to reaching the apex of its drinking profile.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, elegant, polished and smoothly balanced, black berry and black currant fruits with notes of mocha chocolate and spice, hints of cassis, smoke and cedar with smooth silky tannins on a lingering cloying finish.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=802059

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-craig-affinity-napa-valley.htm
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/04/napa-vs-sonoma-2k-cabernet-duo.html 

 https://robertcraigwine.com/

@RobertCraigWine


Saturday, February 20, 2021

Visit to Venge Vineyards and Nils Venge

Visit to Venge Vineyards Saddleback Winery, Penny Lane Vineyard and Rossini Ranch with Nils and Kirk Venge

A Unwindwine memorable retrospective. Back in 2002, wine buddy AJ and I visited Venge Vineyards Saddleback Winery down at the northern edge of the Oakville appellation south of St Helena and met with legendary winemaker Nils Venge

Nils in Penny Lane Vineyard

After meeting and touring the winery and Penny Lane Vineyard there in Oakville, we took wine maker Nils Venge to lunch at Tra Vigne, our favorite Napa Valley dining site of that era. Dining in the adjacent outside garden with the fountain and the oversize monstrous granite dining table was a highlight of many visits to Napa Valley. 

Upon arrival at Tra Vigne, as if we needed another legend sighting/meeting, we ran into Margaret Mondavi.

Nils Venge and Margaret Mondavi

 At lunch with Nils at Tra Vigna, we dined on the terrace with the garden in the background amidst the blissful sound of the fountain. 
Tasting Venge Reserve wines with Nils Venge

 Over lunch, we tasted Venge Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 and the Venge Penny Lane Vineyard Family Reserve Sangiovese 2000. Nils was the first winemaker grower producer in Napa Valley to plant Sangiovese varietals and craft Sangiovese wines. 

After lunch, we drove up to the new Venge venture, Rossini Ranch, in Calistoga. There we met Kirk Venge who was stepping into and following the footsteps of father Nils. 


At the time they were deep into the development of the Rossini Ranch property digging the caves at the site. 

Nils, Kirk, & AJ in front of new cave
being dug at Rossini Ranch
 
Kirk was born in 1976 and raised in Rutherford, Napa Valley into a wine family and lifestyle. He earned his degree in Viticulture and Eonology at the prestigious University of California, Davis, graduating in 1998, and quickly set his sights on buying the Venge winery from his family. From this foothold he set out across the Mayacamas divide and set roots in Sonoma. 
 
Today, Kirk has acquired the namesake brand and business of Venge Vineyards upon Nil's retirement. He has succeeded in establishing himself as a leading winemaker, grower producer in Napa and has expanded his reach into Sonoma. His wines have earned high praise and he has vastly expanded the Venge portfolio and consults with many top brands in Napa as well as Sonoma County.  
 
In addition to his namesake vineyard and winery, Venge Vineyards, Kirk also founded Croix Estate in Sonoma County. In the spring of 2009, Kirk introduced the name "Croix" and a rough idea for property and an eventual winery in Sonoma. He released the inaugural vintage of Croix Estate in 2012 and opening of a new winery in 2018. From the Russian River site, Kirk focuses on estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but also produces a Zinfandel from the nine acre vineyard that dates back to 1904, and a GSM comprised of the Rhone varietals Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre.  

 
Kirk also serves as consulting winemaker for several other producers including BCellars, Renteria, Promise Wines, Hunnicut, Trespass Vineyards, 11:11 Winery, Jax, and Macaulley Vineyards.

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

On a Sunday winter snowy afternoon, Linda prepared a beef roast with carrots and onions and mashed potatoes. I pulled this hearty twenty year old Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux as the ideal wine pairing. I was pleased to find three additional bottles beyond what I show in inventory so it was an ideal selection to try something that I have more of to return to later. 

Haut-Bailly are regular participants in the annual UGCB North American Release Tour grand tasting in Chicago and we enjoy meeting them and tasting their annual release. We'll miss this event this year with the Covid crisis looming if it isn't held or reduced availability to attend as usual.

Château Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classe 2000

This was the best showing and most memorable tasting of this label I recall tasting. This is likely because I may have caught a top vintage at its prime drinking window, further enhanced because I had an optimal food and wine pairing. I wrote about the multiplicative impact of an ideal food and wine combination last week. 

Having been held in our cellar since acquiring upon release, the fill level, label, foil and cork were all in pristine condition.

At twenty years this seems to be just hitting its stride and appears to be at the apex of its drinking profile with several years to go yet at this level. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in March of 2017 said  "it should continue to drink well for another 15-20 years." In 2013, James Suckling wrote of this label, "Still very youthful but starting to show its wonderful depth, structure and complexity."

This release got 94 points from  James Suckling, 92 points from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, and 91 points from  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, and Jancis Robinson gave it 17.5/ 20 points. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied with nicely balanced complex bright vibrant ripe black berry and plum fruits accented by notes of tobacco and cigar box with hints of clove, cassis, cedar, leather and tar with dusty gripping fine-grained tannins on a tangy acidic long finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=16841

https://www.haut-bailly.com/en/home.html

@_Haut_Bailly_ 

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Fisher Vineyards and Lewis Cellars Masons Cabernet

With the family gathered for our family matriarch's funeral, Linda served an extensive dinner paired with a flight of select wines from our cellar including this Napa Cabernet based Bordeaux Blend served in large format magnum and a favorite producer Cabernet. 

Fisher Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia 2000

Fisher Vineyards was founded in 1973 when Fred and Juelle Fisher bought 100 acres in the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County. They later added 57 acres on the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. Both had backgrounds in business -- Fred with General Motors and Juelle was an investment analyst -- before starting the winery. 

Today the winery is still owned and operated by the Fisher family, which includes three adult children who are part of the management team. The estate's first successes were with Chardonnay, then turning to crafting Cabernet Sauvignon from purchased grapes. Now the estate includes many acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards, as well as Chardonnay and Merlot. The Fisher brand features several estate bottled signature Cabernet Sauvignons including this flagship Coach Insignia and two select vineyard designated cabs from Lamb Vineyard and Wedding Vineyard.  

Coach Insignia honors the Fisher family's heritage and tradition of craftsmanship from their legacy as one of the legendary automobile businesses of the 20th century with 'Body by Fisher' in General Motors automobiles followed by Fisher Vineyards' wines of the 21st century

The Coach Insignia Cabernet is a blend of grapes from three geographically diverse vineyards: the estate vineyards on the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley, Stagecoach vineyards above Oakville and Feingold vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. 

The Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of the finest selected lots of Bordeaux varietals from the Estate vineyards including those near Calistoga nestled at the foot up against the Palisades mountain range. There, the vines grow on an alluvial fan that slopes gently west, following Simmons Creek to the Napa River. The Estate’s well drained soils are remarkably consistent, comprised primarily of cobblestones and loam.

It is a blend of classic Bordeaux varietals with predominant Cabernet Sauvignon accented by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. These varietals and diverse vineyards offer Fisher the option to craft exceptional red wine that has become an insignia for Fisher Vineyards.  

At twenty years of age this is still holding its own and just showing minor signs of diminution from aging indicating it is starting to decline from its apex and moving to the next phase of its profile and drinking window.

Classic California in Bordeaux style. Dark garnet colored, a bit tight and firm  blackberry fruits with notes of black tea, flinty mineral and leather with crisp acidity on a moderate tannin lingering finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=29484

https://www.fishervineyards.com/

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Mason's 2012 

For the family dinner, we continued with a family favorite brand, Lewis Cellars which we have featured often in these pages. The portfolio consists of three labels named after the Lewis grandsons including Alec, who shares the name with our son, hence, Alec's Blend is a one of our favorite collectables. This label, a Napa Valley Cabernet is named after their grandson Mason. Alec and Viv visited Lewis Cellars on their honeymoon last month so it was fitting to include this in our intimate family dinner. We visited Lewis during our Napa Wine Experience 2017 and wrote about it in these pages here.

We selected this wine to pair and compare with the Fisher Coach Insignia. 

This was awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator and Connoisseurs Guide

Connoisseurs Guide warned us of the firmness and tight structure of this wine, which resembled the profile of the Fisher Insignia. It suggested holding the wine for six to ten years. At eight years we're within their suggested drinking window, and likely drinking this at its apex. 

Connoisseurs' Guide wrote in December of 2014 about this wine: "Subtlety may not be its strong suit, and there is no question but that this bottling flirts with excess, but it is so deep, so rich and so solidly fruited that its exuberant ripeness and back-palate heat are easily forgiven as mere misdemeanors. Make no mistake, this is a big wine of great amplitude and substance, as those of its maker tend to be, and, yet for all of its largesse, it is fairly tight and well-structured and never gives in to glyceriny fatness. It is sufficiently tough as to warn off drinking anytime soon, and it is best laid away for six to ten years." 

I found this lighter and softer than expected or indicated by the review, and more approachable in that regard than the Fisher, never-the-less, very similar in style and profile. 

Dark garnet colored, black berry fruits with note of cedar, wood and toasted oak with hint of mocha on the tight firm tannin laced finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1889083

https://www.lewiscellars.com/us/

 

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Syrah 2000 and 1997

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Syrah 2000 and 1997

This classic Aussie Shiraz (aka Syrah), is a single vineyard designated bottling from a well known high volume producer. Rosemount Balmoral Syrah is made from grapes grown in 50-100 year old vineyards. Balmoral Syrah from McLaren Vale in South Central Australia takes its name from the Oatley family homestead, built in 1852. Rosemount Estate was founded in 1974 and had its first release in 1975 and has built a strong Australian and international reputation for producing high-quality wines.This wine was first produced in 1989 initially under the Show Reserve banner but in 1992 it was renamed Balmoral and over the ensuing years become Rosemount's top flagship red wine.

We discovered and started collecting this wine in the mid-nineties and still hold over four cases spanning a decade of vintages from 1992 to 2002. We hold several vintages in the original six-pack cases from several vintages including this 2000 obtained upon release.

The label was Awarded Wine of the Year in Australia in 1998, it won both a Trophy and a Gold medal at the coveted Decanter World Wine Awards in 2011 and again in 2012 and consistently receives 90+ points from Wine Spectator across multiple Balmoral vintages.

Predominantly sourced from the McLaren Vale sub-region of Seaview, this wine is made from premium parcels from carefully selected vineyards (ranging from 50 to 100 years old) that produce tiny quantities of exceptional fruit. The result is a wine that delivers intense depth of flavour, superb length and fine acidity with a soft, velvety tannin structure and is known to be suitable for long term aging.


Following the 2000 vintages wines opened the past few evenings, Linda prepared a homemade pizza and I pulled from the cellar this 2000 vintage Shiraz. The next evening she prepared BBQ ribs and I opened a 1997 vintage release of the same label for a mini-vertical tasting of the label. 

Rosemount Estate Balmoral McLaren Vale South Australia Syrah 2000

I note regularly in these pages that a key to and part of the fun of having a wine cellar collection is to drink a wine over a period of years to witness how that wine ages. This is a testament to that process, for a wine that has longevity and has evolved gracefully over two decades now.

After fermentation the 2000 vintage was racked off its skins and aged for two years, in a 60/40 blend of new French and American oak. 

Consistent with previously reported tasting notes from 2010 and 2012, this 2000 was dark inky purple/garnet colored, medium-full bodied. Aromatic, leather, slightly earthy aroma that gives way to complex flavorful blue fruit and ripe black raspberry fruits that turn to raisin, tangy black cherry, cassis, tar, and tobacco turning to an aftertaste of smoke, currant and a hint of plum. Over the course of the evening, the wine seemed to age as the berry fruits gave way to the more fig raisin aged feel while the deep aromatics lingered.


This is a classic Syrah that interestingly is aged two years in American Oak. The winemaker's notes say it should cellar for fifteen or more years. My tasting notes back in 2010 spoke to the full aromatics and flavorful ripe black raspberry, raisin, black cherry, cassis, tar and cedar flavors that turn to an aftertaste of currant and a hint of plum." At ten years of age I noted it was "starting to show age a bit. Drink over next year or so."

In 2012, at twelve years of age, I wrote consistent notes that spoke to revealing the aging effects of this wine... "Dark inky purple color. Medium-full bodied. Aromatic, leather, slightly earthy aroma that gives way to complex flavorful blue fruit and ripe black raspberry, raisin, black cherry, cassis, tar, and tobacco that turns to an aftertaste of smoke, currant and a hint of plum. Over the course of the evening, the wine seemed to age as the berry fruits gave way to the more fig raisin aged feel while the deep aromatics lingered. While I gave it a 92 initially on opening, by the end of the night I gave it a 90."

At fifteen years of age, this wine was aging gracefully and still holding its own, aging consistent with earlier notes back in 2010 and 2012 ... this revealed the same tasting and aging profile, consistent with earlier notes. Bright aromatics fill the room upon opening, the same dark inky purple color and medium body persists.

The notes from 2012 reflected this wine seemed frozen in time at this stage of its life, still holding its own and showing no further diminution of aging.
Tonight, at twenty years, it was showing amazing resilience and still holding on, albeit showing some diminution from aging.

This is consistent with other Cellartracker members' where on 1/7/2012 - monkeylug wrote, "drinking well now even though at the end of its window." and then as late as just recently on 11/24/2005 - rkorchid wrote, "there are still slightly dry tannins, so there is plaenty (sic) of life left in this."

Aromatic, leather, slightly earthy aroma that gives way to complex flavorful blue fruit and ripe black raspberry fruits that turn to raisin, black cherry, cassis, tar, and tobacco turning to an aftertaste of smoke, currant and a hint of plum. Over the course of the evening, the wine seemed to age as the berry fruits gave way to the more fig raisin aged feel while the deep aromatics lingered.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=14749

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/02/rosemount-balmoral-syrah-2000.html

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Syrah 1997


This was a good pairing with tangy BBQ ribs.

Consistent with earlier tasting notes, "The dark purple colour, is starting to subside to garnet color with a slight hazy brownish hue, full aroma of perfume and fruit - the diminution of fruit continues as this wine is showing its age further with ripe concentrated plum and blackberry and black cherry fruits hanging on but giving way to green bell pepper replacing the ripe raisin fig tones, accented by leather, smoke and a somewhat funky wet wood and  cedar with a touch of vanilla and sweet cherry - tightly wound with a tinge of tight tannins and acid on the subdued fruit finish.'

'These notes from 2014 followed my earlier note in 2013 that said, "Its time to drink up as this '97 which is showing its age as the fruit starts to diminish somewhat.

Looking at Cellartracker tasting notes, one writer reports this vintage still holding on while another says his is over the hill. While past its prime, this was still very much still inside the drinking window." Showing that continued diminution, I would say that while still holding, this is nearing the end of its drinking window."

In 2016, it was written, This was a fitting wine to open on New Year's eve, twenty years beyond release, suitable tasting with festive holiday buffet foods of sausages, ham, olives and avocado dips and cheeses. 

RM 87 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17074

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale Syrah 2000

Rosemount Balmoral McLaren Vale South Australia Syrah 2000

The Balmoral McLaren Vale Syrah takes its name from the Oatley family homestead, built in 1852. The wine was first produced in 1989 initially under the Show Reserve banner but in 1992 it was renamed Balmoral and has become Rosemount's top red wine. 

Awarded Wine of the Year in Australia in 1998, the grapes for Balmoral Syrah are hand-picked from vines up to 100 years of age, yielding tiny quantities of exceptional fruit. The wine is known for consistently manifesting intense depth of varietal flavour and complex peppery nuances, balanced by a fine acidity and tannin structure. 
 
After fermentation it is racked off its skins and aged for two years, in a 60/40 blend of new French and American oak. Its inky purple colour is almost impenetrable. 

 
We hold a decade of vintages of this label dating back to the early nineties. 
 
Consistent with previously reported tasting notes from 2010 and 2012, this 2000 was dark inky purple/garnet colored, medium-full bodied. Aromatic, leather, slightly earthy aroma that gives way to complex flavorful blue fruit and ripe black raspberry fruits that turn to raisin, tangy black cherry, cassis, tar, and tobacco turning to an aftertaste of smoke, currant and a hint of plum. Over the course of the evening, the wine seemed to age as the berry fruits gave way to the more fig raisin aged feel while the deep aromatics lingered.
 
RM 88 points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/02/rosemount-balmoral-syrah-2000.html

Friday, May 22, 2020

Craig Mt Veeder and Lede Sauv Blanc for Surf and Turf Dinner

Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon and Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc for Surf and Turf Dinner

For a special celebration dinner at home, Linda prepared beef tenderloin and lobster tails with baked potatoes, salad, hothouse tomatoes and artisan cheeses. I pulled from the cellar two perennial favorite labels to accompany the dinner - Robert Craig Mt Veeder Cabernet and Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc.

I've written often in these pages about our collection of Robert Craig wines dating back three decades across the portfolio of labels, and this being Robert's favorite selection. Tonight, for our celebration dinner, I pulled a twenty year old 2000 vintage release.

To accompany the cheeses and salad, as well as the lobster tail, I opened Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc 2016. We served two of my favorite cheeses, Old Amsterdam Gouda and Gorgonzola.

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016

This is a mainstay label we keep on hand for such occasions. This is the last of our 2016 vintage collection so we'll move to the 2017 release next time we select this label.

Our visits to the Lede Winery estate in Stags Leap District Napa Valley been a highlight of many of those trips.

Straw colored, light bodied, aromas of floral and apricot and flavors of peach predominate with tones of lychee, pear, apple, citrus and hints of lime with a crisp clean sharp tangy finish.

RM 90

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2616721 

Earlier tasting ... https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/03/cal-wine-flight-highlights-st-pats.html

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

https://twitter.com/CliffLedeWine

Robert Craig Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 



My Cellartracker records indicate that we have close to four cases of just label spread across a dozen and half vintages dating back to the inaugural release in the mid-nineties. 

Our last tasting of this label was four 1/2 years ago when I wrote, "Showing amazing resilience and vibrancy in its seventeenth year, this is what this wine is supposed to taste like, with all the essential characteristics of a Mt.Veeder appellation Cabernet – dense, generous black fruit integrated with fine, sinewy tangy tannins."

Tonight, while the label was a bit soiled from the cellar, the foil and cork were perfect and the cork came out effortlessly, intact and in perfect form using an ahso two pronged cork puller.

When we lasted tasted this vintage release and posted a tasting note on 12/11/2016, I wrote: "Expansive aromas of bright dark berry fruit emanated from the glass. Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, bright forward ripe black currant fruit tones accented by black raspberry and black berry, spicy oak and anise. The finish features a solid core of black fruit that lengthens and combines with smooth mocha, cedar and cassis for a plush, long-lived finish." 

Tonight's tasting was consistent with that last experience and I note that I did not notice any diminution from aging at twenty years of age, a testament to Napa Valley Mt Veeder Cabernet and quality craftmanship.  I repeat my rating of 91 points that I gave it last time. 


Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc




 


 

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Ricasoli CasalFerro & Livio Fellugo Saso

Ricasoli CasalFerro and Livio Fellugo Sossó at Italian Village Chicago

For a special business dinner with staff and a business partner we dined at my usual venue for such occasions - Italian Village, Chicago. I've written often in these pages about our dinners and meetings at IV, the oldest and longest continuing operating Italian restaurant in Chicago.

I selected from the wine list this Tuscan Sangiovese based blend, an old and reliable favorite, Casalferro from Baron Ricasoli. Our friend and wine colleague Jared Gelband, Wine Director, pulled from the vast IV cellar this 2000 vintage release bottle.

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (Sangiovese) Toscana IGT 2000

Barone Ricasoli is one of Chianti’s largest estates, with nearly 650 acres of vineyards in Gaiole in Chianti, in the southern part of the Tuscany’s Chianti appellation. The estate has been in the hands of Ricasoli family for more than 500 years. The winery today is run by Francesco Ricasoli and other family members, and it calls itself the oldest commercial winery in Italy.

Tuscany, or Toscana in Italian, is Italy’s best-known wine region and its most diverse. Historically Sangiovese was the primary grape grown in Tuscany and Chianti was considered the purest expression of Sangiovese. Sangiovese and its many clones are still important, and they are the grapes used for the Tuscan appellations of Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano, Chianti, Chianti Classico and Carmignano.

This release was a blend of Sangiovese 75% and Merlot 25%. It is aged in small french oak barrels for 18 months which along with the Merlot in the blend, softens the tannins.
Wine Spectator awarded this vintage release 90 points.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, powerful full and forward black fruits are accented by a layer of oak with notes of cedar, tea, leather and hints creosote on the deep, full lingering tannic finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17527

@ricasoli_1141

Livio Felluga Sossó Fruili 2012

This is a blend of three different grapes - two uniquely from the Fruili region, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso and Pignolo, and a Bordeaux varietal  - Merlot.  Friuli took on French varieties after phylloxera devastated most of their native grapes, and this wine is a testament to that history, with two indigenous varieties blended with Merlot.

Created in 1989, this wine is named after the Sossó stream, which runs at the foot of the hill where the grapes grow. Made with carefully selected and oldest vines of Merlot and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso grapes, together with a small percentage of Pignolo, from Rosazzo. Sossò is the result of skilful vinification and barrique maturation that lasts for 18 months. A supremely complex and well-structured wine, it stands out for its elegant, ripe, sweet, fruity tannins.


Winemaker notes: The Refosco brings the soft, peppery notes and earth tones while the Pignolo hefts up the wine with blackberry fruit and a tannic backbone allowing the Merlot to shine with soft juicy blueberry notes mingling with a hint of oak and vanilla. This is an amazingly structured wine from the banks of the Sosso river in Collio. 

Winemaker's Notes: Dark blackish ruby colored, medium full bodied, complex red currant and black fruits accented by floral lily blossoms, cedar wood, with notes of spice, almond, rosemary, undergrowth, short crust pastry and pomegranate, elegant, pleasant and well-balanced tannins; aftertaste has notes of red berries, vanilla pod, and elder berries.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2518622


http://www.liviofelluga.it



Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Italian Village Wine Dinner

Italian Village Wine Dinner Features Two Classic Aged Vintage Release Labels

For an important business dinner we dined at Italian Village in the Chicago City Centre, our go to venue for such occasions. We had a private dining alcove, ideally suited for our business dinner. Wine Director, Jared Gelband (right w/ colleague Jeff L, touring the wine cellar), served up a classic pair of aged wines that perfectly matched our dinner selections, a eighteen year old legendary Super Tuscan Guado al Tasso from a classic vintage, and a thirteen year old Sangiovese, Vigna di Pianrosso

Count on the deep deep broad wine list of over 1200 labels to offer such a selection. What a treat! Two aged bottles drinking at their apex and capable of aging for another decade, if they would last that long.

Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore 2000

This is one of my favorites, a classic premium label from a historic vintage. This was a memorable bottle ideally suited to our dinner entree selections, especially my Veal Marsala with its brown sauce and angel hair pasta.

While this is an Italian wine, its Super Tuscan blend is French Bordeaux varietals - 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the remaining 10% Syrah with a mix of lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc and other red grape varieties.



Dark blackish garnet colored, medium full bodied, firm structure but elegant and nicely balanced;  forward blackberry and black cherry fruits accented by mocha, expresso, tobacco and spicy clove with tones of mineral on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

This got 93 points from Wine Spectator,
93 points from Stephen Tanzer.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=12750


Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona "Vigna di Pianrosso" Brunello di Montalcino 2004


We finished with Sangiovese to match our Italian entree selections. Once again, the depth of the IV cellar presented a fourteen year old vintage release.

Dark ruby colored, full bodied and structured yet approachable, intense forward black raspberry, black cherry and plum fruits, floral tones turning to earthy eather, dark spices, minerals turning to round smooth silky tannins on a long finish.


RM 92 points. 

The Pianrosso from proprietor Paolo Bianchini. Ciacci’s Pianrosso is an old-vines selection that spent 36 months in Slavonian oak.

92 points Wine Spectator
91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=626465

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Double Diamond Diamond Mtn Meritage - Thurston Geologist Premium Red 2012

 Double Diamond (Midsummer Cellars) Diamond Mtn Meritage 2000 - Thurston Geologist Premium Red 2012

 Just returned from a week in Florida and the Magic Kingdom, son Ryan and Michelle invited me over to dinner. Ryan grilled bbq ribs on his new incredible Spectrum Series Webber Grill. He served a Thomas Thurston "The Geologist" Premium Red. I brought a Double Diamond Diamond Mtn Meritage.

Thomas Thurston "The Geologist" Premium Red 2012

According to the producer, "The Geologist was inspired by the dramatic volcanic and fluvial geology of eastern Washington’s viticulture regions. The front label shows a key component, the Snipes Mountain growing area, with its unique ancestral Columbia River conglomerate soils directly overlying ancient weathered basalt. The Geologist captures in the bottle this viticultural legacy as well as recognizing the professional inspiration of one of our family members; geoscientist, Michael Yeaman. This is the fifth vintage of this blend and was aged 22 months in French oak and three years in the bottle before release. Limited production of 104 cases with release October 2016."

This is a blend of:
  • CABERNET SAUVIGNON (49%) – Upland Vineyard
  • MERLOT (27%) – Crawford Vineyard
  • CABERNET FRANC (15%) – Burgess Vineyard
  • PETITE SIRAH (9%) – Zephyr Ridge Vineyard
Ryan said this had been opened for a day and had closed down since initial opening. It was bright garnet colored, medium bodied with bright expressive Bing Cherry fruit accented by bright acidity and a layer of smoke. The structure was a bit flabby masking the potential complexity of the blend. I sense and wonder if this would integrate and show better after a couple more years of settling.

RM 88 points. 

Double Diamond Diamond Mountain (Midsummer Cellars) Meritage 2000

Since Ryan married a Diamond, I have fun collecting 'Diamond' labels and sharing them with him and wife Michelle. The Double Diamond Brand was marketed by Schrader Vineyards for several vintage releases from 2002 onward to this day. We hold a half dozen releases of Shrader Double Diamond during this period. This particular release in 2000 was 295 cases produced by Midsummer Cellars of Sebastapol, CA. The blend was 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 25% Petit Verdot. 

Midsummer Cellars is Rollie and Sally Heitz who started Midsummer Cellars that year, 2000 with the goal of making small lot handcrafted wines of distinction that reflect the terroir of and individuality of their vineyard sources.

Today, Midsummer Cellars produces only vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from three vineyards -- their own Cañon Creek Vineyard, as well as the Tomasson, and Clark-Claudon Vineyards; all of which show their distinct characteristics in the wines created from them.

Rollie Heitz has a lifetime of winemaking experience having grown up in the business at his family’s Napa Valley winery. He learned how to make fine wines while working alongside his father, Joe Heitz, for several years before deciding to leave the family business and establish his own winery in 2000.

Today, Midsummer Cellars is located at the base of the foothills north of Saint Helena, just off the Silverado Trail. The winery is small --  with beautiful vistas to the east -- and within this small space we are able to produce true wines of distinction that we hope you will enjoy.

So this was the inaugural vintage release of Rollie Heitz with grapes sourced from this  Diamond Mountain vineyard. I picked this up at auction from a lot of only three bottles so its not likely you'll see or find this soon.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied with bright expressive black berry and black cherry fruits with a layer of tar, leather, smoke and tobacco leaf with moderate tannins on the finish. 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=442292

http://midsummercellars.com/

P.S. I wrote to Rollie Heitz to see if we could meet during our upcoming trip to Napa. He promptly responded with the following note:


Good Morning Rick,
We actually just closed down Midsummer Cellars last month and have opened a new venture "Tenuta Montorsolo.

We have purchased a small vineyard, winery and home just outside of the small town of Todi in Umbria and we will begin making wine there beginning with the 2018 harvest.

I'm sorry that we missed you.  If you find yourself heading to Umbria please look us up.

Thank you,

Rollie
In a message dated 7/6/2018 5:06:47 PM Pacific Standard Time

We wish Rollie and company the best in their new venture in Umbria!