2007 L'Aventure Cabernet with 5% Petit Verdot

This is a kaleidoscope of aromas and Calif cab flavors. It's an awesome cab just a step short of Harlan and its ilk I'd say. Cocoa, coffee/mocha, tobacco, blackberry (and maybe another dark berry I can't identify but i see in professional notes below is none other than blueberry), violet/lavender, mint, licorice and an extraordinary gardenia nose that I've never experienced before (a vanilla plus flowery component that's more expectged from a white grape). Very dark purple like grape juice. On the palate, silky tannins that melt into the finish almost imperceptibly. High acid balanced by deep fruit. It really doesn't get much better than this in California cab. There is a lot of sediment; awfully early for sediment to be this prominent; I mean it really needed decanting. 95+. Good for 10 years. I can't really tell what's cassis, what's blackberry, what's currant. Anyhow it's all good here.

Had some more 24 hrs later. Unsurprisingly the wine is very fine still. Less acid and brightness but new flavors. I'm getting the cherry cola and acid very low except on finish. On palate it's almost like complex Cabernet grape juice. Mint spice prominent with a sweet potpourri edge. Highly pleasurable


What the winery says:

2007 L'Aventure Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. Stephan has made a conscious choice to develop a Cabernet Sauvignon wine as a permanent fixture of the range, that is, if mother nature permits. The 2007 Cabernet is inky–purple, with an opaque center. Spicy currant and cola on the nose, the attack on the palate is immense with spicy cedar and smoke underpinning dark, wild blackberry and blueberry flavors. The luxuriant mouth goes on and on, with tea leaf and more spice in the finish. $80.00

Parker thinks this will last much longer:

Another long distance runner is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, a wine worth following over the next 15-20 years. With classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, spring flowers, and earth, this is a big, broodingly backward, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that is probably too formidably endowed and intense to attack presently, but given 3-4 years of bottle age, this wine should evolve as well as some of the North Coast Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa. Everything is there – crushed rock, creme de cassis, graphite, full-bodied power, fabulous concentration, purity, and a saturated purple color, all suggesting a brilliant wine. By the way, it is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 % Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025+. 94+ points.

Tanzer as usual a point or two lower than Parker:
93 points; Dark purple. Strongly perfumed bouquet of blackcurrant and cherry pit, with a mounting note of blueberry. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors are supported by a suave mineral spine and framed by silky tannins. Impressively pure and vibrant, with strong finishing cut and echoes of smoky minerals and spicecake. As attractive as it is now, this suave wine is built to reward patience.

From Budello outside Bologna, an excellent Barbera

Notes for blog on the surprisingly excellent wine made right here at Locanda Gli Ulivi in Budello, outside Bologna about 15 miles. Sitting here looking at the very vines that made these wines along with a beautiful set of low hills covered with vines on, higher up, trees. Weather perfect and air fresh, out on terrace by swimming pool.  So the innkeeper asked if I'd like to try his own wines and I thought sure let's try.  I believe the barbera is 13 euros, the pignoletto frizzante 8 so wasn't expecting much.

Well the white pignoletto was a near perfect simple summer sipping wine, uncomplicated but grippy and apply in the best quaffing way.

The red though truly surprised.  At first it was plum with some vailla and prune, not unlike a simple but well made brunello.  Then it evolved to include a tutti fruity and flowery component quality --though actually I'm smelling it in the air from flowers so I think the flowers aren't from the wine.  Still the wine kept evolving so after 90 min or so became more elderberry or some other spicier or herbaceous berry than the basic strawberry or raspberry.  The finish lengthened with time too. The wine isn't an age worthy wine but it's fresh and drinkable now and for the year or so, then will be replaced by the next year.  Very close relationship here between land and wine and terroir.

This is me in midst of the Gli Ulivi grapes, at harvest time.  Note: I added this picture on July 5, 2012, the day we met Wib and Charlotte at Gli Ulivi. Delighted to return to this place.

There is a subregion, the proprietor told me, called Budello (also name of village) and from this perch we can see the entire area! He said it's part of Colli Bolognesi, but distinct Budello.  He grow the two grapes in these wines and a Sauvignon blanc that he's out of.  This of course is my favorite thing to be doing. Il Monticelli Barbera--n.v. Same name for the frizzante.

2007 Tablas Creek Espirit de Beaucastel

Now this a wine!

The nose is very deep and endlessly complex, starting with mint/eucalyptus, then all kinds of berry with coffee and mocha. I sense the roasted meat quality with licorice and spice ... Maybe some white pepper but not enough to be peppery. This is a great wine, absolutely worthy of the heritage and name of Beaucastel. The winery is co-run by the Beaucastel Perrin family, and a california team, in the Paso Robles area.

The finish is long but perhaps not as complex and multidimensional as the nose. In later taste some big time black cherry and kirsch, also on nose. 95 points and this will get better with even more potential for bottle bouquet. The tannin is soft but good acid backbone promises another 8
yes of drinking.

24 hrs later:

The nose is lovely, with spice and raspberry primary. The acid is perhaps a bit

more aggressive but surprisingly balanced tonight. I can't quite get the aroma,

maybe camphor, juicy fruit. I'm glad I have more bottles of this one.

2008 Beringer Napa Chardonnay

A fine burgundian nose, toasty vanilla oak, minerally, but a bit of alcohol on the nose that's out of balance with the fruit. Similar on the palate, hazelnut perhaps along with the tropical fruit, maybe apple, peach and pineapple? The finish is dominated by alcohol but it's persistent and not unpleasant. Plenty of acid there and perhaps the alcohol will help preserve it and it will balance out in a few months. Still this is a very good Calif chardonnay, clearly superior to the Grayson which cost $9 on sale at CH Wine--this one is $16 at Harris Teeter and at the winery itself, but $9 (plus 10% tax in DC) from Calvert Woodley. As such it's hard to imagine a better chardonnay bargain. It blows away any Macon I've had in recent years. Maybe the Yalumba 2008 chardonnay was almost as good @ $10 if memory serves.

Anyhow, I'd say Beringer is the highest quality/price producer of chardonnay anywhere, when you consider that their private reserve is always wonderful and costs under $30, a price that can't get you a great chardonnay anywhere else. the Chasseur or Ramey single vineyards, and Newton unfiltered are all as good or better but they cost $50 and up. The Morlet and Peter Michael are $100+. Not to mention Burgundy itself where the entry price for the real villages (not Macon or Pouilly Fuisse) is $40 and the grand cru vineyards are $75+. The 1980 Beringer PR Chard was the first great chardonnay I ever tasted and I remember it clearly to this day; it has remained the most consistent terrific chardonnay you can get for a reasonable price. In 1980 the PR cost $12-14 in DC so 30 yrs later, getting it for $28 as I just did at Pearson's is a bargain given inflation which would make $12 in 1982 equal about $28 in 2010. In other words it hasn't gone up at all in real terms. I will have a review of the Private Reserve shortly.

Meanwhile this $9 baby from Napa will stand up to the Ramey Russian River, for instance, which cost $33 or so.

Here's Parker giving this wine 89 points (that's what I'd say, or maybe 90). I don't see how he can call the oak note "subtle" but he's the expert. Below that are the interesting notes on production from the winery. I swear I just looked at it, after writing the above evaluation. These notes say much of the wine was aged for 8 months in oak.

A sleeper of the vintage as well as a stunning value, the 2008 Chardonnay Napa ranks alongside some of the great bargains in California Chardonnay such as Kendall-Jackson’s Vintner’s Reserve. Orange blossom, lemon oil, peach, and pineapple notes are restrained, but noticeable in this medium-bodied, fruit-driven effort. A subtle note of oak provides structure and delineation. This, too, will drink well for several years.

From Beringer:

VINEYARDS
Beringer's Chardonnay vineyards span several sub-appellations in southern Napa Valley, where fog from the San Pablo Bay works its way north each afternoon during the growing season, cooling the vineyards and slowing sugar production in the grapes, thus allowing a longer maturation period, and maintaining the varietal's bright acidity. The cooler vineyards to the south produce grapes with crisp apple, pear and citrus characteristics, while vineyards closer to Yountville yield Chardonnay with a rich texture and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Winemaker Laurie Hook chose complementary lots from each of these vineyards to craft a wine that exhibits bright fruit, richness and complexity, hallmark expressions of Napa Valley terroir.

WINEMAKING
When making the 2008 Napa Valley Chardonnay, Laurie kept each lot separate and used several different techniques to retain the fruit's brightness while developing its innate complexities. After the grapes were sent directly to press where the juice was gently extracted, half the wine was aged for eight months in French oak barrels (32% new) to enhance its natural richness and roundness. The remaining juice was stainless steel fermented to highlight the crisp, bright citrus and fruit flavors that Chardonnay grapes offer in abundance. Laurie chose to put 58% of the wine through malolactic fermentation, balancing the wine's lush mouthfeel with its bright fruit characteristics.

WINEMAKER COMMENTS
'Gamble Ranch makes up a third of the 2008 Napa Valley Chardonnay, accounting for the wine's luscious tropical flavors. Our Stanly Ranch vineyard in Carneros is also a large component of the blend, which added bright citrus notes and a lovely minerality. Flavors of roasted pineapple, ripe apples and lemon meringue are accented by aromas of vanilla and sweet citrus. The wine's bright citrus notes and nice acid balance are an ideal counterpoint to its rich, honeyed fruit flavors.'

2005 Andrew Will Two Blondes

This is about 35% cab sauv, 35 cab franc, and 30 merlot. extremely complex, evocative nose with about 10 components from violet to wood bark to blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, licorice and oak/vanilla. There's some other wild berry aroma--blueberry maybe? or pomegranate? and flavor I'm not sure of too. Some herbal notes with airing. There's some alcohol on the nose that is well balanced with the fruit and acid. The tannin is way in the background; there is some but it's about as sweet and silky as tannin can be I'd say. The alcohol is noticeable on the finish and perhaps a bit much but it does help to carry the long finish. This just misses on the depth and length I'd like in a 95 point wine but I'm guessing it'll drink nicely for another 4-5 years and will develop a bigger bouquet still. Medium body and medium color, pretty opaque but a bit of translucence and a bit of red on the rim even though it's just 5 years old. I guess this is an index of the relatively low tannin and does mean the wine is not a real long ager. I'd say the nature of the nose marks this a US rather than French bordeaux blend--it's bigger, and there's little currant or tobacco as far as I can tell, telltale markers of the French versions. Plus actually I'm not sure how many Bordeaux actually use a nearly balanced blend of the big 3 grapes, since Pomerol emphasizes merlot and St Emilion emphasizes cab franc. I'm giving it 93 points

Tanzer gives it just 89:

2005 Andrew Will Winery Two Blondes Vineyard Red Wine Red Mountain

($60; 36% cabernet franc, 35% cabernet sauvignon and 29% merlot) Bright ruby-red. Notes of smoke, game and dried herbs on the nose. Lush, smoky and dry, with a distinctly balsamic quality to the flavors of tart red berries, game, earth, spices and truffle. Like the Sheridan bottling, this shows firm acidity, which gives it good cut and a juicy quality. From a vineyard near Zillah planted at an altitude of 1,250 feet. The highest in pH of these 2005s, at about 3.9, according to Chris Camarda.

Parker's Jay Miller says 92:

The 2005 Two Blondes, located a stone’s throw from the Sheridan Vineyard, is a blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 29% Merlot. Its personality is remarkably similar to its sister vineyard with expressive red and black fruit aromas, spice box, and smooth-textured, sweet fruit. It is a lengthy, elegant effort for drinking from 2012 to 2025.

Andrew Will, located on pastoral Vashon Island, was founded in 1989 by former sommelier Chris Camarda. His focus is on blended, Bordeaux-style wines from some of Washington’s finest vineyards. The wines are made identically, the differences among them reflective of that vineyard’s terroir.

1989 Beychevelle

Purchased in '92 or '93 in honor of Emily's birth year. Opened tonight with Francie's delicious lamb dinner and it was splendid. The nose was a bit more restrained than I might have expected, and perhaps this wine is now past its peak. A bit of a spicy/herbal mineral quality that would be more likely in a CA cab. However on the palate this was classic mature bordeaux, all the components in perfect harmony, the color classic mature brick red rim and quite light in the middle, hardly any purple left. The currant fruit played nicely against the acid with good body and tannins melted away, good finish. If only one could afford to drink 20 year old excellent bordeaux on a regular basis...92 points.

Parker: 89 points in a 1997 tasting, 91 previous to that:

ine Advocate # 109 Feb 1997	Robert Parker	89	Drink: 1997 - 2012	$70-$132
Both the 1989 and 1990 wines scored slightly lower than in previous tastings. In contrast to the 1990, the 1989 Beychevelle, which usually performs better than it did in the recent tasting, is an elegant, medium-bodied wine with soft tannin, copious quantities of ripe, herb-tinged, blackcurrant fruit, some evidence of toasty oak, and a generous, velvety-textured finish. It appears to be evolving quickly, and can be drunk now as well as over the next 15 years.
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2002 Penfold's Grenache Reserve

As my many, many readers (i.e., somewhere between n=1 and n=2) know, I'm a fan of Australian grenache. It's fruit on top of fruit, yes, but I don't believe in making hedonistic pleasure a sin when it comes to wine (I know I echo Parker in this stance and no doubt he's influenced me; but I find it annoying that somehow the fashion is to condemn wines that are easy to like, as if the truly intelligent and refined wine lover would never stoop to enjoy such wines).

So you look at this 8 year old grenache and it's still very dark, a beautiful purple/red with only a hint of brick red at the edge. The nose is the wonderful blackberry/huckleberry that I love, along with a hint of mocha that comes on strong in mid-palate. There is also the woodsy/pine resin nose that seems more common with grenache than others but can also be found in cabernet and blends thereof. Maybe some spice and flowers; a hint of alcohol also (which is not a bad thing in my view) on the nose. The tannins and acid are there on the finish to keep it balanced and long-lasting. I'd think this one is about at its peak but will also last another 3-4 years given the healthy acid and tannin levels. This one just about equals my 2004 DeLisio Grenache standard: 94 points for this one, just a tad less deep and long than DeLisio. When it comes to all around pleasure, I'd put Australian grenache from old vines like this in the near league with Pomerols.

Had this 24 hrs later, preserved with argon but not refrigerated. It held up very nicely; maybe a shade muted but otherwise in fine drinking shape. I'd gladly drink this weekly.