Dinner Chez Shannon and David

Last Sunday, we were invited to dinner at our friends Shannon and David's home. After some sparkler to start that I really enjoyed but took no notes on, we graduated to reds with dinner:

• 2003 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée du Papet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Had this with dinner at friends' house. A definitely bretty wine. I think for some at the table the brett was simply too much. I on the other hand loved it. Typical CdP in the sense that kirsch and garrigue were present, but the texture was not liqueur-like at all. texturally, this reminded more of Burgundy with a silky mouthfeel and strong finish. Again...to me the brett gave it an extra dimension I liked, but folks sensitive to brett would have hated this bottle. I am happily looking forward to drinking my second bottle.
• 2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  Generously opened by our hosts to go with grilled tri-tip. And what a great wine this is. Fantastic nose of cherries, tree bark and dark chocolate. These aromas all carry through to the palate where the wine was velvety and loaded with cheery and blackberry fruit. Maybe a hint of leather. Despite the ample fruit, this came across as balanced and complex and is nothing like many of today's Napa fruit bombs I dislike so much. Awesome wine that disappeared quickly from the decanter. Thanks Shannon and David for this treat.

Thanks to Shannon and David for your generosity, and next time, it'll be my turn to dazzle with quality food and wine.

2002 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon Fifteen-Forty (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Third and last of the Neal Family Cabs with Easter lunch/dinner. My personal favorite among the three wines. The most primal, structured, brooding, muscled wine of the trio. Dark fruit and smoke. Beefy flavors and bramble. A wine that can be aged for many years without going into decline, IMO. Also had a touch of tobacco and earth. One of my favorite "young" CA Cabs in a long time. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain.

2002 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon Chafen (USA, California, Napa Valley)

Second bottle of Neal Family Cab with Easter lunch/dinner. Now we are talking. More structure, darker flavors, more serious, complex, and earthy than the One Lane Bridge. A cut above, I believe. Where the OLB was more red fruited and quaffable, this was serious and required a little more attention. Black berry and black currant fruit with a touch of cherry and dark chocolate. Coarser tannins and muscle. I liked this one a lot. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain.

2002 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon One Lane Bridge (USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder)

First of three Neal Family Cabs to go with Easter Lunch/Dinner. Relatively soft wine with velvety fruit and chocolate cherry flavors and aroma. Very good, but not earth shattering. Has very fine tannins and ripe fruit. A little low on acidity and backbone.

2005 Bressler Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena)

Served blind. Clearly recognizable as a California wine. Lots of fruit, but very balanced. Surprisingly soft for a wine this young. Cherry, spice, earth and chocolate. Not overly complex and complicated, but a thoroughly enjoyable wine. Should be able to go for another number of years in the cellar, but I would drink between now and 2015.