Tasting - Any Fine Wine Partie Deux
This tasting had no set theme, much like the last one I posted, but by chance ended up with more of a French twist to it. The wine we were all excited to try was the 2005 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée, a great vintage, producer, and the rave reviews didn’t hurt either. The Pegau didn’t disappoint, but it certainly wasn’t the only nice wine that we had that night. Let’s get to the point, shall we?
NV Blanc de Blancs d’AΫ – Gaston Chiquet
Not a bad NV if a little simple. Loads of green apple at the fore followed by doughy yeast, sweet floral and spice notes. Clean finish, quite refreshing. Bottled 2007. Around $50 89
2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau” – Domaine Du Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is better known for its red wines but the whites can be interesting too, like this one. Brandy flambéed pears, honey and apple with some oak evident (vanilla and a slight sappiness). It has good weight in the mouth, but is not overly complex. The 2006 is $54.95 90
2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée – Domaine du Pegau
After a three hour decant this wine still seemed a little closed so we returned to it again at the end of the tasting, and although it had improved it was obvious that this wine will require some time in the cellar to show its full potential. The first whiff carried a lot of white pepper/grains of paradise and herbs (bay leaf) with bright red fruit notes playing under the surface (mostly raspberry). More air time softened the dominance of herbs and spice allowing some chalky mineral to come out and for the fruit to deepen. Good length, but I was expecting a little longer. Great with food! If I get any it’s going into the cellar for 4 years before I even consider trying it again. 92-94 Wine Advocate: tar, roasted meats, Provencal herbs. 95 International Wine Cellar: seductive dark berry, kirsch aromas, musky garrigue, black olive, dark chocolate, blackberry, bitter cherry, licorice, tangy red berry fruit. Around $75 depending where you get it. 93+
1997 Roccato – Rocca della Macie
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese from Tuscany. I was put off by the leathery barnyard straight out of the bottle but this diminished quickly leaving faint wood, almond, dried cranberry, and floral notes. Elegant but rustic at the same time. It really grew on me the more I drank it. To my palate the Sangiovese is the dominant grape with the Cab lending some substance. Drinking well now, no need to hold this in the cellar. 92 International Wine Cellar: truffles, wet earth, leather, tobacco, anise. $56.55 91
2003 Clos Apalta – Casa Lapostolle
I wasn’t impressed with this wine. Not that it was bad, but I was expecting more for the price and reputation. It didn’t seem to be flawed in any way but it also didn’t resemble the positive reviews it’s received. Sweet tobacco, cherry, dusty tannins, sweet edged fruit, with a bit of heat on the finish. The attack is woody with some mineral in the background. Soft. My notes for the 2004 are similar with the same sweet fruit and tobacco so maybe I’m just not a fan of the style or the bottle was an underperformer. I think it’s a little of both. 94 Wine Spectator: plum, blackberry, boysenberry, mocha-infused toast, mineral and spice notes, fleshy finish has some serious grip. 94 Wine Enthusiast: deep blackberry, prune, earth and chocolate. $90 or more, less in the US 89
1998 Dominus
The long sweetish finish is the first thing that jumped out at me after a sip. Quite sophisticated with smooth smoke, raspberry, sweet vegetation, cassis and plum. The red fruit comes first with the black fruit following through, the two ends of the spectrum balance out nicely. Pretty wine. 91 Wine Spectator: earthy, elegant, refined Cabernet blend, currant, tar, black cherry, cedar, coffee, anise, sharply focused. 90 International Wine Cellar: cherry, raspberry, smoked meat, roasted tomato, earth, tobacco leaf. Price will vary greatly, around $100 93
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – Caymus
As expected the tannins are velvety and easy going with less aggressive barrel toast than other vintages I’ve tried (a positive in my books). Vanilla, cookie dough, lots of milky malolactic and cassis. Suave and easy to drink but as one taster put it “not remarkable” in any particular way. The general consensus is that it good but not worth the price tag. 92 points from both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. Around $80 90
NV Blanc de Blancs d’AΫ – Gaston Chiquet
Not a bad NV if a little simple. Loads of green apple at the fore followed by doughy yeast, sweet floral and spice notes. Clean finish, quite refreshing. Bottled 2007. Around $50 89
2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau” – Domaine Du Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is better known for its red wines but the whites can be interesting too, like this one. Brandy flambéed pears, honey and apple with some oak evident (vanilla and a slight sappiness). It has good weight in the mouth, but is not overly complex. The 2006 is $54.95 90
2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée – Domaine du PegauAfter a three hour decant this wine still seemed a little closed so we returned to it again at the end of the tasting, and although it had improved it was obvious that this wine will require some time in the cellar to show its full potential. The first whiff carried a lot of white pepper/grains of paradise and herbs (bay leaf) with bright red fruit notes playing under the surface (mostly raspberry). More air time softened the dominance of herbs and spice allowing some chalky mineral to come out and for the fruit to deepen. Good length, but I was expecting a little longer. Great with food! If I get any it’s going into the cellar for 4 years before I even consider trying it again. 92-94 Wine Advocate: tar, roasted meats, Provencal herbs. 95 International Wine Cellar: seductive dark berry, kirsch aromas, musky garrigue, black olive, dark chocolate, blackberry, bitter cherry, licorice, tangy red berry fruit. Around $75 depending where you get it. 93+
1997 Roccato – Rocca della Macie
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese from Tuscany. I was put off by the leathery barnyard straight out of the bottle but this diminished quickly leaving faint wood, almond, dried cranberry, and floral notes. Elegant but rustic at the same time. It really grew on me the more I drank it. To my palate the Sangiovese is the dominant grape with the Cab lending some substance. Drinking well now, no need to hold this in the cellar. 92 International Wine Cellar: truffles, wet earth, leather, tobacco, anise. $56.55 91
2003 Clos Apalta – Casa Lapostolle
I wasn’t impressed with this wine. Not that it was bad, but I was expecting more for the price and reputation. It didn’t seem to be flawed in any way but it also didn’t resemble the positive reviews it’s received. Sweet tobacco, cherry, dusty tannins, sweet edged fruit, with a bit of heat on the finish. The attack is woody with some mineral in the background. Soft. My notes for the 2004 are similar with the same sweet fruit and tobacco so maybe I’m just not a fan of the style or the bottle was an underperformer. I think it’s a little of both. 94 Wine Spectator: plum, blackberry, boysenberry, mocha-infused toast, mineral and spice notes, fleshy finish has some serious grip. 94 Wine Enthusiast: deep blackberry, prune, earth and chocolate. $90 or more, less in the US 89
1998 Dominus
The long sweetish finish is the first thing that jumped out at me after a sip. Quite sophisticated with smooth smoke, raspberry, sweet vegetation, cassis and plum. The red fruit comes first with the black fruit following through, the two ends of the spectrum balance out nicely. Pretty wine. 91 Wine Spectator: earthy, elegant, refined Cabernet blend, currant, tar, black cherry, cedar, coffee, anise, sharply focused. 90 International Wine Cellar: cherry, raspberry, smoked meat, roasted tomato, earth, tobacco leaf. Price will vary greatly, around $100 93
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – Caymus
As expected the tannins are velvety and easy going with less aggressive barrel toast than other vintages I’ve tried (a positive in my books). Vanilla, cookie dough, lots of milky malolactic and cassis. Suave and easy to drink but as one taster put it “not remarkable” in any particular way. The general consensus is that it good but not worth the price tag. 92 points from both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. Around $80 90
Labels: Champagne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chile, Napa Valley, Tuscany
posted by Jason Zacarias | 5:45 p.m.
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