Cellar Selections
Wines in this section are those that need or will improve with age. Some, as noted, may be quite drinkable now, but have the structure to age for at least the minimum period recommended, and often well beyond the stated maximum.
Note: Prices are Suggested Retail Price (srp), may vary in some markets
The Delights of Well-Aged Wines: see below *
Wines for current and future pleasure:
Ahhh...yes, you can tell (below) I love (good) Pinot Noir...but I also like good Cabernet (not to mention Merlots, Syrahs, Zinfandels, Malbecs, etc.......)
Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap District, Napa Valley, $65. A big one! in the tradition of Shafer reds, the 2007 has massively ripe fruit, deep-purple depth and impressive intensity. How will it age? The jury may be out for decades, but some will love the plushy vigor and muscle of this wine right now.
Mount Veeder 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $40. Yes, mountain-grown grapes do seem to have more depth and color! The 2007 vintage in Napa Valley is excellent, and this Cabernet from the Mayacamas Mountains on the Napa's west side is a beautiful example. Dark and rich, very aromatic, with chocolate notes in its black fruit scents. Fine structure but drinkable now, though likely to be stunning with 5 or 6 years on it. The 2005 Reserve, however, must be aged. Almost black in color, it is deep and tannic, with blackberry syrup flavors and a heavy cloak of oak. Probably shouldn't touch it before 2015...and possibly 2020.
Chappellet 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $47-50. Quite a complex Cab from hilltops on the other side of the valley, above the Silverado Trail. I like the restrained use of oak--which allows the ripe flavors of cabernet and a rich dose of malbec to show their stuff. Dark and plush, the wine is seductive now but should bloom handsomely by 2015, becoming smoother and more complex in aroma.
With dinner after this tasting we had the Jordan 1979! See BE's Discoveries
Rodney Strong 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, $20. Wow! so drinkable. Loaded with the blackberry flavors typical of Alex Valley but nicely banked with just enough ripe tannin and good acidity. Vivid flavor, fine balance and length--great candidate for wine lists to go with steak, grilled lamb chops or leg of lamb. Could tunnel in a few years. Drink now or hold 5-7 years--a few bottles for both???
Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Dry Creek Valley, $20-22. Black cherry and blackberry flavors, with a nice grip of tannin; long, appealing fruit finish. Very drinkable now with steak or lamb.
2000 Cabernets: are you thinking about opening your 2000 Cabernet Sauvignons from California? You might want to wait another couple of years, especially for Napa Cabs. I tried Robert Mondavi 2000 Cab (unfiltered) the other night and found it still has some distance to go, probably at least 2 -3 years ( 2012), and could hold another 3 or so if well-stored. I decanted this one--there was some sediment and tannin; with half an hour of airing it became quite smooth and appealing. But I think it will develop further and be more complex.
On the other hand, if you like a little muscle in your Cabernet the 2000s might be perfect just about now.
PINOT NOIR
Kosta Browne 2008 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, $52. If you spot any Kosta Browne Pinots, this might be the most likely one since there is more of it, or the '08 Russian River. You can't exactly call these entry level Pinots--they both have the layers of flavor and potential for complexity typical of KB Pinots. The Kosta Browne 2008s are superb, perhaps less--but only slightly less--concentrated than 2007s, but I really love the balance and spiciness of the flavors--in the basic versions but even moreso in the vineyard wines, such as Koplen and Amber Ridge, both of which show the flourish of Russian River fruit to perfection. Supple, but nicely braced with just the right amount of oak and tannin.
Do take time to savor these wines and let their planes of flavor sift and glide and meld across your palate--they'll transport you! Like they did me when I tasted them as barrel samples almost a year ago.
The 2007 vintage for Californian Pinot Noir is exceptional, especially in the Russian River Valley of western Sonoma. Vintage variations aren't as dramatic in California as in some regions of the world, but they do vary and in long cool vintages such as 2007 the grapes ripen slowly and magnificently, pulsating with ebullient flavors of black raspberry, black cherry, hints of mineral and spice, briar-tinged fruit. They're exciting wines, worth buying to drink now, but they'll reward aging, too, especially the better balanced ones.
I'm pretty partial to Russian River Valley Pinots--some are too powerful, with alcohol overwhelming the fruit, but the more balanced ones have that lush, juicy flavor of cherries and ripe berries that I love. In California recently I tasted some beauties that I highly recommend. The fact is, however, that a good vintage like 2007 results in above average wines across the board, so good Pinots can be found for $25 to $35 or so....and of course, well upwards. But it's nice to know one doesn't have to pay $70-125 to get a good one.
Russian Hill Estate produces Pinots of balanced intensity that are among the best of the region. Perched on a hill overlooking a wide swath of the valley, Russian Hill is surrounded by vineyards with spectacular views in every direction. Tasting recently with owners Ellen Mack and Ed Gomez, and winemaker Patrick Melley, I found again the bold richness of the 2007 wines that is so persuasive.
Russian Hill's entry level Russian River Pinot '07, $28, is a charmer, smooth and supple, very appealing for drinking now--excellent for roast game hens or turkey. The 2007 Estate Pinot, $36, is excellent as well and my current favoirte; a bit firmer in structure and more complex it has developed lush texture and mouth-filling flavors of dark ripe berries (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry) that linger on the palate seductively.
The vineyard-designated Pinots at Russian Hill--Tara, Meredith and Leras--have greater depth, a bit more tannin and the capacity to develop handsomely with a few years' age. I particularly like the 2007 Tara, $46, with its aromatic notes of boysenberries and a hint of cinnamon. It should be even more dramatic with bottle age, and a beauty by 2012-2015.
Merry Edwards has a magic touch with Pinot Noir, producing some of the most distinctive renditions of Pinot on the planet. As a specialist with the variety for over 35 years, she coaxes wonderful nuances of character from each of the vineyards she draws upon, amply demonstrated in the current 2007s. The 2007 from her namesake vineyard, Meredith, has produced what she feels is her best Pinot ever from this 24-acre plot, and I would have to agree. With its already complex aromas of wild strawberry, wild blueberry and hint of damask rose, it holds stunning promise for a few years down the road--though it is pretty delectable right now.
Merry Edwards 2007 Coopersmith (named for Merry's husband) is dramatically rich and deep, powerful but well-balanced. More widely available is the 2007 Sonoma Coast, bright and appealing, very quaffable, althought it can hold 3 or 4 years at least. Check with your wine merchant now--these wines don't tarry on the shelf for long, and look for them on restaurant wine lists.
More Russian River Pinots I highly recommend (Google by name if your shop is out):
Davis Bynum 2007, DeLoach 2007, Dutton Goldfield 2007, 'J' Vineyards 2007, MacMurray Ranch 2007, MacPhail Sonoma Coast 2007 (delicious black cherry flavors, accented with cinnamon), Sebastiani Reserve 2007 Russian River, Willowbrook Cellars 2007
Sonoma Coast: Quality from the Sonoma Coast appellation can be a little uneven, since it is a very broad appellation in western Sonoma, drifting down almost to Carneros. Numerous wineries from many areas buy grapes from this appellation and some are decidedly better than others. One I recently liked a lot is Tudal Family Winery 2008, $22. Tudal is a venerable name from Napa Valley, known mainly for Cabernet Sauvignon, but the Sonoma Coast Pinot is juicy and appealing--and dry, unlike some.
Other appealing Pinot Noirs:
Carneros: this cool, wind-swept region in the hills just north of San Pablo Bay straddles the southernmost areas of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Most recently I've very much enjoyed Robert Stemmler's 2007 Carneros Estate Pinot ($38) for its smooth cherry-berry fruit flavors, a characteristic of Carneros Pinots. Excellent choice for duck or gamehens but sturdy enough to handle beef or lamb.
Buena Vista Carneros 2007, Chateau St. Jean 2007 Sonoma, Mahoney 2007 Carneros, Sanford Santa Rita Hills (see below).
Remember the first winery Miles and his pal visited in the film 'Sideways'? It was Sanford, named for founder Richard Sanford. Under new ownership, the winery still makes some terrific Pinot, such as the 2007 La Rinconada, sourced from the Santa Rita Hills half an hour north of Santa Barbara. With enticing flavors of Bing cherry and spicy black raspberry, this lush wine will pull you right in--great accompaniment to roast duck, grilled duck breast or calf's liver.
And from other Pinot places..........
Burgundy:
Joseph Drouhin 2007 Véro, $16-19. An excellent value in Pinot, made from grapes drawn from various parts of Burgundy, plushly drinkable.
Louis Boillot Volnay 2006 'Les Grands Poisots' $30. Lovely fruit, cherries and berryish flavors in an elegant frame but with moderate intensity; excellent for gamebirds, roast loin of pork. Drinks well now, with air, but will undoubtedly become more silken in 3 to 5 years.
Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2007, $18-20. A little hard and tannic at first, but with considerable airing it became quite appealing. The brambly fruit (wild berries) emerged and the tannin softened.
The 2007 vintage in Oregon was problematic, with rain during harvest--actually a boon for those of us who like lighter, more elegant Pinot Noir that works so great with wild salmon--unlike the massive fruit bombs that some Oregon producers have opted for in recent years.
We had the 2007 Ponzi recently in my Duke wine class--it had the charm and graceful balance that Oregon can produce when it isn't overdoing it. Nicely suitable for game birds, roast chicken or turkey, Cornish hens or veal stew.
Willakenzie's 2007 Pinot has a bit more stuffing but is still elegantly proportioned. I suspect both of these Pinots to become more expansive with 2 or 3 years more in bottle, and more complex. Well worth laying down.
*Musings on aging wine.....*
A question I'm often asked: how do you know which wines to age, and which ones won't?
Not a quick answer, actually. Of course it's obvious with some wines--red Bordeaux in good vintages, California cabernets that cost more than $10-12 a bottle....serious syrahs (like Penfolds Grange--see above), but less exalted ones also.
Most red wines that are balanced will certainly improve with bottle age, anywhere from 2-3 years for moderately priced ($12 to $18) merlots, pinot noirs, syrahs to 5, 7, 10 or 15 years for similarly priced cabernets, bigger syrahs and merlots, cabernet franc, sangiovese, claret blends. Even wines meant to drink young will often hold or improve with a few years on them. Recently I opened a three-year-old Barbera with robust and concentrated flavors. It was a little tough and tannic the first night, but the next night it was perfect--smooth and round, the tannins mellowed, the fruit more forward.
Some wine drinkers, however, like vigorous, muscular reds and like the tannin that gives the wines an edge. Chacun à son gout--each to his own taste. Yet I've had more than one person in my wine classes say to me--"'Gee, I really like big young reds, but after the first sip or two I find I don't like them as much. Why is that?" It's because with the first sip you get the rich, ripe fruit of a big wine....but then the tannin comes up hard, builds on the palate and the wine just can't give any more--it needs aging to evolve and give more of what it promised. See B.E.'s Discoveries
Time in bottle does what nothing else can. Over time, whether it's two or three years, or 10, chemical changes occur--tannins soften and precipitate out, pigments darken and eventually lighten, creating sediment. I always decant wines 10 years old or older. But then I often decant very young wines when they seem stiff and tannic--the aeration can open them up and soften the tannins--aging them in a sense. This is why when you open a young red that is too young and tight to really enjoy, it may taste better the next night....or the next. One that recently did: Catena 2008 Malbec from Argentina, dark and opaque, quite tannic, somewhat hard when we opened it. The next night it was much softer and more appealing.
Zins for hedonists.....
Sin Zin 2008, Alexander Valley Vyds, $20, Alexander Valley, Sonoma. If the label doesn't seduce you, the wine in the bottle will--luxuriant ripe flavors and the heady aroma of blackberries, raspberries and black plums. Big and handsome, as this wine always is--powerful without being overwhelming.
Old Vines. Sonoma has some of the oldest stands of Zinfandel in existence. These wines don't yield much--I'm reminded of what Spencer Tracy said about Katherine Hepburn in "Pat and Mike" -- "ain't much meat on her, but what's there is cherce." That's how it is with these 60, 80, 100-year-old vines, gnarled and thick, yielding up nectarlike juice that lends unique character to wines labeled "Old Vine." The first winery actually to use Old Vines on the label was Dry Creek Vineyards. Dry Creek Old Vine Zinfandel 2007, Dry Creek Valley, $25, which is nicely packed with blackberry and black cherry fruit.
Organic: Paul Dolan Vyds 2007 Zinfandel, Mendocino-Amador, $20-25. Made from organically grown grapes. Bold without being heavy, big black raspberry fruit; well-balanced, a grip of tannin but very drinkable now.
Rodney Strong Zinfandel 2008 Knotty Vines, Sonoma, $17-19. Succulent and persuasive this boldly rich and well-balanced Zin is one of the best currently available; spicy and seductive without hammering the palate. Just won a Gold medal at the Riverside International Wine Competition directed by Dan Berger.
NOTE: prices are suggested retail; they may often be found for less.
