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.

Tasting at Regusci Winery on Silverado Trail

We were in Northern California between Christmas and the new year, and on the day after Christmas, we decided to go see a member of my wife's family in Napa. We met her at Regusci upon my suggestion (I was still intrigued by the 1997 Cab I had at Thanksgiving courtesy of my friend Mike). The tasting we did was short (four wines) yet impressive, and the crew that was pouring could not have been nicer. The wines were positively different from much of the wine that I've tasted from Napa, especially in recent years.

• 2006 Regusci Chardonnay Mary's Cuvee - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
  First wine in the tasting. Very nice rendition of CA Chardonnay. Interpreted leaner, fresher, stonier, and less oak and butterscotch. I liked it, and my wife liked it even better. That said, I think the mid palate was slightly hollow.


• 2007 Regusci Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  An old school Zinfandel. Medium bodied, fresh, with cracked pepper, spices, and leather. This is not over-extracted, hot, and heavy. So much so that I think many tasters couldn't pick this out as a Zinfandel in a blind tasting. I don't usually like Zinfandel, but this was terrific. 18 months in American oak and from old vines, some as old as 100+ years.
  


• 2006 Regusci Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  Probably my least favorite wine in the lineup. It's definitely good, but it is very straight forward, simple in its fruit, and lacking verve. A more typical Napa Merlot in my opinion, except that it does retain nice freshness and balance and veers more toward a medium to full-bodied texture.
  


• 2006 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Estate Bottled Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  My favorite wine in the tasting. Lovely cherry and black currant fruit with leather and dusty earth. Has good structure, great verve, and lovely balance. It's very young right now, but I purchased two bottles for the remainder of our trip and we polished both off with family in no time. This is a delicious wine that will please for many years. Unapologetically Napa, yet in the vain of Napa Cabs of the 80s and early 90s.
  

The Zinfandel and Cab are the stars in the lineup in my opinion, and if both can be had at decent prices, they are buys.

2001 Gamble Nelson Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District)

Not my favorite. I've had this wine multiple times and mostly in its youth and it has always been super very solid in my book, but this bottle is not up to par. Pronounced vanilla (oak), charred toast, blueberry, and coffee. Definitely reminds me of Aussie Shiraz in its aromatics. Good texture on the palate and good finish, but the oak is really overwhelming and overpowers the black currant and coffee flavors. I suspect the fruit has faded faster than the oak on this wine, and it may not get better. I would drink up if I had any more left, and I'll be back tomorrow with a report on how the wine developed overnight.