4th of July Blowout

Last night, we were invited for a 4th of July party at a friend of ours and it was the usual blowout. The notes I took covered only the wines I tried, but there were literally a dozen I never even tried. I also tried some wines I don't remember because I forgot to take notes on them.

Champagne and Whites

• N.V. Marguet Père et Fils Champagne Cuvée Réserve Brut - France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  This bottle was much better than the last one. Not as tight, and wonderfully fresh, floral and open with some nice apple and citrus peel.


• 2007 J. Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc Estate Grown - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Really nice wine. Very mellow and in typical grapefruit and lemon zest style with fantastic freshness. Long dry finish. No sweetness and no extreme lemon grass notes which I find typical of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Recommended.


• 2000 Château Monbousquet Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
  For me, the star of the whites. Amazingly rounded and polished with a slightly aged nose and palate, but what a treat. Somehow, this pulls of the plushness and softness of a CA chard with the minerality and raciness of a Loire white.

Pinot Noirs

• 2006 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir Estate Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
  Not bad. Definitely lighter and more interesting than the Kosta Browne served alongside it. Clean fruit and good freshness, but it's definitely not profound and somewhat one-dimensional. I liked it, but I think it's a poor QPR.


• 2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  I dropped off the mailing list with vintage 2006 and I am glad I did. Still very big in style and comments from other tasters were "pancake syrup", "over extracted" and the like. And I agree. Just too much power for a wine that should be all about finesse. Only good news is that it didn't taste hot and disjointed...balanced wine, but for those who like to drink the candied big style of CA Pinot.


• 2004 Littorai Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
  The only Pinot I really liked in last night's lineup. Great laser focused fruit with layers of complexity. Awesome freshness. Can't say enough good things about this wine.


• 2003 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Vista Verde - USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County
  Pretty good stuff here. Only deduction was for the Central Coast candied flavors in the background, but the wine had good freshness, flavor, funk, and texture. I think this was close in quality to the Littorai Savoy.


• 1990 Kalin Cellars Pinot Noir Cuvée DD - USA, California, Sonoma County
  Interesting wine after the other Pinots. Very tart and acidic. That being said, this was infinitely better than the Pinots before it and with some air, it got even better. Lacks the complexity of a Burgundy at the same age, but it is more "burgundian" than anything else produced today save a few exceptions. Fruit was good and color was solid, so this is nowhere near decline.

Big Reds

• 1984 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
  What a great wine. Bordeaux-like on the nose with black currant and graphite and an intriguing menthol/eucalyptus note that I have often found in 80s Napa Cabs. Great finish, and another bottle in awesome shape from a cold cellar. Shows no signs of decline. Drinking perfectly right now. Serve this with a nice grilled steak.


• 2001 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  Great wine here, as well. Imminently drinkable but enough structure to suggest this is 5-10 years from peak and another 10 years away from decline. Shows very fruit driven now, but the espresso and truffle is lurking underneath all that plum and black currant goodness. Will be a great wine down the road. Glad to own a few.


• 1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
  This bottle was more closed and tight than the previous one. Still a profound wine that shows leafiness, truffle, earth, and plum and currants wrapped into one exceptionally structured package. This bottle needed another 5-10 years to drink at peak. What a great wine and at the current rates (if it can be found), it is one of the finest values in the wine world. One of my favorite reds ever.


• 2004 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  Oh boy...didn't like this at all. Searing acidity and weird roasted flavor profile. Did not seem over-oaked, but it was disjointed and completely out of balance. This is what I don't like about so many CA Cabs these days. What were the Shafer's thinking? (I've had a number of HSS wines and they've all been very good).


• 1999 Turley Zinfandel Pringle Family - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
  Can't believe I'm saying this, but this is the first Zin I've liked in a while. More classic profile of pepper and velvety red and black fruit. Not over-extracted, completely balanced, and with enough structure to suggest there is no need to hurry drinking this. For me, this was a revelation. Great food match would be smoked baby back ribs with spice rub and bbq sauce.


• 1982 Les Forts de Latour - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Excellent bottle. Cassis, cedar, cigar box, funk. All the flavors and aromas you'd expect. Showed very young and fresh. Incredible texture and silkiness. Hard to believe this is a second wine.