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of recent cellar sleuthing....for B.E.'s comments on aging, see Cellar Notes Caymus 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection, Napa Valley Opened with friends in Oxford MS over the holidays. Outstanding Cab--but not at its peak yet, as I suspect it will be in another five years or so, and likely something to swoon over from 2018-2020. Black currant fruit concentrated and intense, framed in oak and tannin just beginning to soften. Aromas took a while to really open but very rich and vibrant when they did. Alongside Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1995 SLV--also in need of further aging but not as complex as the Caymus. Both, however, solid treats with grilled beef tenderloin. Thanks, Duke and friends! Raffaldini 2005 Montepulciano, Yadkin Valley, NC. Wow! give us more like this! I think this was Raffladini's first release of Montepulciano, and I'd been saving it to see how it would age. Verdict: beautifully! Dark, dense, with still-intensely flavored ripe-berry fruit, bursting with boysenberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors. Tannins have mellowed, but it still has a nice grip, fine balance and that tasty juice; a long appealing finish that lingers very agreeably. Recent vintages have not seemed quite as concentrated as the 2005--which was a knockout right out of the gate and has more than lived up to its promise. In Italy the montepulciano grape produces mostly lighter, easy-drinking reds (such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo), so it is interesting to see how impressively the grape can perform in North Carolina. Let's hope more of this grape is planted in the mid-Atlantic. Château Gruaud-Larose 1982, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux. A fabulous treat, courtesy of fellow Virginia judge Andy Williams, who decanted this venerable bottle and brought it to share with judges at the recent Virginia State Fair wine competition (scroll down for some good VA wines). The Gruaud-Larose '82 amazed us all with its still-vivid color, its generous well-matured fruit and aromas of smoke, blackberries, and sweet cherries fairly billowing out of the glass. Tilting the glass showed its bricky orange edges, but the wine was still lively, very smooth, some tannins extant, but with great complexity and fine length. Some thought it could go another decade, but I thought we caught it at an excellent time to really enjoy the brightness of the fruit melded with oak. I originally tasted this wine in the mid-eighties when I still lived in New York and attended a tasting hosted by importer Chateau and Estates. Back then I found it very dense, opaque and closed, even a little heavy. What a lovely surprise to taste it some 16 years later and find it so delightful and charming. Many thanks, Andy!!! Uh, oh! Recent "sleuthing" turned up a forgotten case of assorted Zinfandels, aged ten years, some older. Normally, we don't age Zins, though years ago when I was on Ridge Vineyards tasting program, I regularly purchased new releases that piled up, some for years--which provided some amazing tasting experiences when I finally got around to uncorking them. Would any of these be as good! I invited some friends who love Zinfandel over to crack a few bottles and see. OMG, yes! Quivira 1997 and 1998, Dry Creek Valley. I decanted these wines to try together, expecting the 1997 (an excellent vintage in California) to be the superior of the two. It was musty and funky on the nose--no fruit. We set it aside--"don't judge it yet," I said. "After all, it's been confined in that bottle for thirteen years; let's give it some time to flex." The 1998 was a more pleasant surprise--plenty of fruit, tannins mellowed, still berryish, smooth and attractive. Half an hour into our meal, however, the 1997 had bloomed, showing lovely black raspberry fruit, slightly smoky, richly textured, very delicious with our pot roast. In fact, it got better and better, revealing more layers of flavor--and totally eclipsing the 1998, which had flattened somewhat and now had none of the complexity or wonderful length of the '97. Though both wines surprised and delighted me, the '97 really showed its breed. It had aged like a fine claret--likely because of its excellent balance (13.5% alcohol, unheard of for Zin today!). Rancho Zabaco Reserve Zinfandel 2000, Dry Creek Valley. Dry Creek Valley is one of the stellar places for great Zinfandel, so I shouldn't have been surprised by this wine's outstanding character and flavor, even at 10+ years. Still dark and deep, due perhaps to the addition of petite sirah, still powerful (14.3%) in ripe berry fruit with a hint of black pepper. Not especially complex, but a handsome red, plushly drinkable. Bodes well for the remaining wines of the case -- will keep you posted. Tignanello 1994, Antinori Vineyards, Tuscany. Decanted 2/2011, for my wine class at Duke. Simply lovely! What a great moment to catch this wine--the color still firm, the fruit rich and beautifully evolved with complex flavors of black plum, ripe berries and a hint of currant and wood; smooth, silken texture. Made from 80% sangiovese, 20% cabernet sauvignon, it was superbly balanced and wonderful to savor as it lingered elegantly in the glass to the very last drop. If you have it, enjoy it now (or soon). Shafer 1983 Merlot, Napa Valley. Decanted. Stunning! Bet you wouldn't think a Merlot of any stripe could age 27 years--but this one has, and beautifully. Spicy cherry flavors, tannins fully mellowed but the fruit still has vigor-- it's simply delicious to drink now (and could quite possibly give Pétrus of comparable age a run). Interesting to note its alcohol of 12.7%. Will the 2001, which I had a few weeks earlier, age as well??? Shafer Merlot 2001, Napa Valley. Decanted. Quite vivid and appealing; certainly not your typical Merlot (but Shafer Merlots have never been "typical"!). Vivid color, good fruit concentration, nicely evolved with somewhat tamed tannins and rich texture. I wouldn't necessarily have thought it would age so nicely, since it's a powerful, full-bodied wine (14.9% alcohol), but the fruit was ripe enough--and not overripe or raisiny--not only to last but evolve into interesting flavors with complex aromas of black currants, smokiness and dried flowers. Château Prieuré-Lichine 1982. Decanted. Well, it couldn't last forever. This '82 from Margaux in the Haut-Médoc is well past its peak. Alas. I'm wondering what to do with the ramainder of my of my case! Fall 2010 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1988, Napa Valley. Decanted. Terrific. Over Labor Day (2010) with friends on Bald Head Island. With grilled rib-eyes. Superbly evolved Cabernet, smooth but complex, with layered aromas and flavors of black currants, cedar, and an appealing smokiness. Fine balance, still vivid and lively. Jordan Vineyards 1979, Alexander Valley. Decanted. I live for wines like this! Thirty-one years old, yet 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] Eberle reds. On a recent visit to Paso Robles, CA, where I judged in the Central Coast Wine Competition, I had dinner one evening with Gary and Marcie Eberle. Gary is one of the pioneers of the Paso Robles region; he planted vineyards here over 30 years ago. That evening Gary brought out some older Eberle reds, curious to see how they were holding up. They amazed us; particularly the 1980 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1979 Syrah. We tasted the wines off and on over the course of the evening, finding it remarkable how they got better and better, at thirty years old and 31 years old. It was the Eberle Syrah that surprised us most. I thought it would fade, but after two hours it bloomed, becoming round and smooth, tannins nicely tamed, oozing lush raspberry flavors. Oh, what time in the bottle can do! |
| North Carolina Wines 2011 North Carolina is home to over 100 wineries, up some 25 percent since 2007. The state has long excelled with Muscadine grape varieties, native to the region...and still does. But in recent years wines from Vitis vinifera, the European grape varieties (syrah, chardonnay, riesling, the cabernets, merlot, and others) are doing the state proud with full-flavored, well-balanced wines that are a delight to drink. The 2011 NC wine competition awarded 28 Double Gold medals (unanimous panel votes) several gold medals, plus a number of silvers and bronze medals. North Carolina winemakers are not uninterested in ageworthy wines--many of the reds have the structure to improve with bottle age, but they are primarily interested in making the wines accessible and fully ready to drink when they are purchased. There is none of the massive extract that encumbers so many of today's international reds. They show less oakiness as well--subscribing to the theory (with which I concur) that when your wines have appealing fruit you don't need to mask it with oak. Consumers increasingly appreciate this. The 2011 Competition Results The top choice of the judges: Best of Show: RayLen 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. With enticing cabernet flavors -- black currant, spicy oak notes, excellent balance and fruit intensity, this Cab is a prototype of what North Carolina can do with this variety--something of a surprise, as earlier-ripening grapes (merlot, cabernet franc) have seemed to do better previously. Maturing vines may have something to do with it-- but in the last couple of vintages Cabernet Sauvignon has shown stellar quality. Six Double Golds were awarded to Cabernet in the 2011 competition: RayLen 2009, Banner Elk 2009, Childress 2009 Signature, Flint Hill 2009, Grove 2009 and Round Peak 2008. Red wines outshown whites this time around. Two particularly outstanding reds are Banner Elk 2010 Marechal Foch, a dark intensely flavored French-American hybrid, and Flint Hill 2009 Chambourcin, equally dark and solidly structured. These are balanced, wonderfully tasty reds; a must-try for North Carolinians. Other Double Golds were awarded to: Biltmore Reserve 2010 Viognier North Carolina Biltmore Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Childress 2008 Barrel Select Cabernet Franc Grove Tempranillo 2010 (very Rioja-like) Raffaldini Montepulciano RayLen Cabernet Franc Rock of Ages Southern Chardonnay Sanctuary Wright Bros Reserve Best Muscadine award went to Cypress Bend McNeill, a luscious sweet white Muscadine, spicy and exotic. Cypress Bend is doing an outstanding job with our native grapes; they won last year's Best Muscadine with Campbell, a sweet red, which garnered a DG in 2011, along with Rocky River. Duplin Scuppernong picked up a Gold, as did Hanover Park Port Hanover, a fortified dessert wine. Childress Vineyards won the most medals, with 54. For a complete list of medal winners go to: http://www.nccommerce.com/Portals/10/Documents/WineCompetition/2011 and click on Commercial winners. And our neighbors in the mid-Atlantic.... VIRGINIA. The State Fair of Virginia Wine Competition, held June 20, 2011, turned up some very lovely wines. The event took place at the estate near Richmond where the great racing champion, Secretariat, was foaled and raised. I saw that handsome horse win the Triple Crown at Belmont, and it was somewhat awesome to sit under his portrait at lunch. If travels take you to Charlottesville or Washington, D.C., keep an eye out for the wines mentioned below. Overall, the wines showed well; but certain categories stood out: Petit Verdot: Quite possible the strongest flight of red wines, every entry good to outstanding. Normally, Petit Verdot is a blending component, particularly in Bordeaux, but in the mid-Atlantic it is much more interesting, even complex, especially when a bit of cabernet or merlot is added to the blend. Highly recommended: : Ingleside Plantation, Keswick Vineyards, White Hall Vineyards Cabernet Franc: Warm, dry vintages are perfect for making very tasty Cab Franc, which does extremely well in Virginia (N.C., too). Flavors of red currant make these wines juicy, but they have structure, too. Excellent for roast pork, lamb or chicken. Gold Ribbons went to Annefield Vineyards, Pearmunc Cellars and Veritas; The Winery at La Grange (Silver) was also quite good. Meritage: Bordeaux blends, so-called because they use Bordeaux varieties (cabernet, cab franc, merlot, petit verdot), are more prevalent in Virginia--which seems to have a handle on how to make them into balanced but drinkable reds, some with considerable complexity. I recommend them highly and several Gold Ribbons were awarded: Barboursville Octagon 2007, Barren Ridge 2008, Democracy Vyds Velvet Revolution Reserve 2009, The Hague Winery 2009, The Winery at La Grange 2008, Rockbridge 2007. Merlot: Merlot made quite a nice showing, the wines rich in color, with good fruit intensity and structure. Golds: Ingleside Plantation 2006, Lake Anna Morgan Merlot 2008, Rockbridge DeChiel 2008 and Reserve 2007. Viognier: This fragrant variety, with its sweet floral scent, also does well in the mid-Atlantic--here in North Carolina we followed Virginia's lead with this varietal and it has proved very attractive. Recommended: Barboursville Reserve 2009, Cooper 2010, Flying Fox Vyd 2010, Pearmunc 2009, Sunset Hill 2010, Veritas 2010, White Hall 2009. Give these wines a shot when you're up Virginia way....... 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. |