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Results
of recent cellar sleuthing....for B.E.'s comments on aging, see Cellar Notes possessed of rich color; complex aromas of black fruits--currants, plums, berries mingled with a slight smokiness. Great balance and acidity, a beautifully evolved Cabernet, with smooth but still vivid texture and layers of lovely flavors. Kudos to winemaker Rob Davis (and his consultant at the time, Andre Tchelistcheff). This is the kind of wine that makes an evening utterly memorable. [7/2010] Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1991, Napa Valley. Pulled this up to have for dinner with friends--just at the right time. Decanted it, a good inch of sediment. Took 20 minutes or so to open up, then big ripe berry aromas billowed up enticingly. Nice and full but quite smooth on the palate. Great with tenderloin. The flavors bloomed and lasted for over an hour, then the fruit began to fade and tannins took over....what was left, that is, just a scoche. Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Monte Rosso Vineyard. The legendary Monte Rosso vineyard atop the Mayacamas range is named for its red iron-rich earth. The property has yielded many fine Zinfandels and Cabernets through the years, and this 1997 is no exception. Big and muscular still at 12 years of age, it is drinking well but has easily 5 to 8 years left to improve further. Flavors now of dark ripe black cherry, spicy oak and a hint of earthiness that is very appealing. Good length and structure. Mayacamas 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. Outstanding! This superbly balanced Cabernet is drinking beautifully right now, showing great depth of color, wonderful black currant flavors, and softened tannins that have mellowed into a plush velvet texture. On its way perhaps to achieve the remarkable complexity of the 1984 (**see Mayacamas 1984 below), but it is awfully good now. A re-release from the winery, there may be some left, $75 a bottle. Check it out at: www.mayacamas.com Oakencroft 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, Monticello appellation, Virginia. Well, who would have thought? Yes, Virginia, Virginia wines do age....and nicely, too. I remember this Cabernet when it came out--impressive structure but tannic and angular. On a recent evening with lamb pilaf I opened it and was delighted. The tannins have mellowed, the fruit is very forward--briary black currants and the right touch of spicy oak--quite lively, if a little short on the finish. But really tasty and enjoyable--nice time to catch it. Merry Edwards 2000 Pinot Noir, Olivet Lane, Russian River.
We had this in my winter wine class at Duke. Always one of Merry
Edwards richest Pinots, the 2000 Olivet Lane has mellowed into a smooth
and silky, deliciously complex wine, still quite lively and lovely for
drinking now. We longed for braised quail or roast duckling to
complement it. Watch for Merry's 2007 Pinots--great vintage in
the Russian River Valley!!! Merryvale Profile 1987, Napa Valley. Opened in a
recent wine class focussing on Bordeaux and Meritage style blends. An
excellent blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon, very well-balanced,
deeply structured, with complex aromas that have evolved into a very
appealing bouquet. A great example of how aging can bring a wine into
most alluring harmony. Beaune 1995 Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus,
Grèves
Côte
de Beaune, Bouchard Père et Fils. Outstanding! A beautifully
evolved
Beaune, with flavors of cherry, cinnamon and smoke. L'Enfant
Jésus
is one of the prized vineyards of the Côte d'Or, noted for its
velvety
texture. Lovely with braised quail. Matanzas Creek Merlot 1987, Sonoma County. Oh, boy, this was good. Not many Merlots hang in there for 17 years...and it could go a few more, I think. Rich with blackberry, black plum flavors and cedary notes, all nicely integrated. It needed a good 35 minutes of airing to show its silkiness--and proved excellent with lamb pilaf. Gundlach-Bundschu 1988 Cabernet Franc, Rhinefarm Vyd.,Sonoma. G-B, one of California's oldest wineries (dates to 1880s) makes some very solid reds, often excellent value. I wasn't sure this 15-year-old would still be good; in fact, it was excellent, still vibrant with cab franc's black cherry fruit and a delight with grilled sirloin. Other G-B wines to look for: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir--structured to age but usually nicely balanced for early drinking. Mayacamas 1984 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.
An amazing
testament to the aging process!! The '84 vintage was spotty, but
mountain vineyards sometimes exceed ripeness and quality in a lesser
vintage. Mayacamas,
atop Mt Veeder, produces consistently fine Cabernets--but if you want
glorious
drinking you have to wait . Give them time and they'll turn
into
a beauty like this 1984, with a bouquet of ripe berries and layers of
dark
fruit and oak, wonderful clean, bright plummy fruit, still
vibrant and
enticing. Superbly balanced, this wine was an exciting catch à
point--perfect maturity. What a joy to drink, with its elegance,
long
appealing aftertaste--and here's the kicker: 12.8 to no more than
13% alcohol, proof the grapes don't have to be 25+ Brix at harvest to
produce
a classic. My thanks, and a toast, to owner/winemaker Bob
Travers!!
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North Carolina Wines
If you haven't tasted North Carolina wines recently, the changes will surprise you. Red wines have jumped in quality since the 2005 vintage. Young vines now have a little age on them. Winemakers have had the luxury of letting the grapes hang a little longer on the vine without the threat of devastating hurricane rains; the drought in 2007 produced some excellent reds (see list above). The extra ripeness offsets the naturally high acidity of most mid-Atlantic reds—acidity that, in proper balance with fruit, gives the wines structure, length and the potential to evolve with real flavor interest. The state’s first official appellation, or AVA (American Viticultural Area) is the Yadkin Valley, a north/south strip of rolling hills in the center of the state. Here is the greatest concentration of North Carolina wineries. Swan Creek appellation is tucked into the Yadkin's southwest corner. The newest appellation is Haw River Valley in the central Piedmont between Greensboro and Mebane. The total number of wineries statewide is now over 85. In 2000 there were 15. I taste mid-Atlantic wines often. Here are some of the wines I have especially liked: ![]() Childress Cabernet Franc 2006. Juicy red currant fruit, an excellent example of cab franc character; very nicely balanced and drinking well now. Great for roast loin or chops. Won Best of Class for reds in the 2009 NC wine competition. Childress Reserve Merlot 2007. The drought year was super for red varieties in North Carolina--the Reserve Merlot is a great example of it: solid plummy flavors, good density, excellent balance, long in finish. Hey! if North Carolina can make reds this tasty, watch out!!! Grove 2007 Cabernet Franc, Haw River Valley. Formerly planted to tobacco and soybeans, only a few such stands remain, but there are some 60 acres of wine grapes---and plenty of flat fertile land in which to expand. Grove's '07 Cab Franc has the appealing red currant fruit that is the hallmark of Cab Franc. Grove 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Haw River Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon needs longer to ripen than other red varieties, and it appears that the Haw River Valley has the heat a little longer than some areas of NC. The '07 Cabernet is quite good and shows the potential for this new appellation. Grove 2007 Nebbiolo, Haw River Valley. A surprise to find this variety growing here -- and producing such an appealing fruity red. Very quaffable. Raffaldini. The new tasting room, Villa Raffaldini, which looks for all the world like a Tuscan villa (including landscaping), is a must on your next visit to the Yadkin Valley. If possible, try the Vermentino (terrific) and Montepulciano, one of the best reds I've had from North Carolina vineyards. Both very limited. Also try the Pinot Grigio and excellent red blend, Bello Misto. Veritas Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Monticello, $19, just won Best White in the 2010 National Women's Wine Competition. Kluge New World Red 2004, a cabernet-based Bordeaux blend made under the consulting expertise of Bordeaux's roving winemaster, Michel Rolland, recently won a Gold medal at the Hilton Head Island Wine Competition. Kluge's Simply Red 2005 won a Silver. White Hall Vineyards Petit Verdot 2005, Monticello. Although I think the best use of Petit Verdot is in blending (with cabernet, cab franc, merlo--as in Bordeaux), our mid-Atlantic regions of Virginia and NC do the best job with it as a varietal. The '05 White Hall is dark and plummy, tartly berryish (but not too!) and quite tasty; a little short on finish--which adding more cabernet sauvignon to the blend would fix. Keswick Vineyards near Charlottesville, VA won several medals in the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, notably the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon--which also won the 2009 Governor's Cup in Virginia. The 2007 Cabernet Franc recently garnered a Gold Medal at the 2010 International Eastern Wine Competition If you find yourself in Atlanta -- or the mountains of North Georgia--check out the brisk, steely and quite attractive Petit Manseng from Tiger Mountain Vineyards. This old-world white grape seems to take well to the red soils of Georgia, producing a steely dry white wine that works great for shellfish dishes. The grape could perhaps do well in other mid-Atlantic regions such as Virginia and North Carolina. |