2006 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Oaks

(USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles)

Nice color, deep purple.  The nose was enjoyable big black berries with ceder, green peppers and black pepper.  The palate was a little hot and a dryer wine than expected.  The palate was somewhat disjointed in that the tannins were a departure from the flavors. It is not an explosion.  It is very vegetable and earthy.  The palate is not exciting.  Its dark, woody with some hints of butter and cherry.  The finish is short and quickly goes into a tobacco and black pepper feel.  Ok for a table wine.  I would not rush our to try.

For close to the same money this wine is much better: CLICK HERE

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From J Lohr site:

2006 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet

The 2006 vintage saw a return to below average rainfall for Paso Robles, and with it came smaller vine canopies, smaller clusters and smaller Cabernet Sauvignon berries. The combination of
these elements in 2006 made for excellent quality in all of our
Paso Robles red varietals, but in particular, Cabernet was the
most positively impacted. The outstanding color and flavor development brought back memories of the noteworthy Cabernet crop from 2001. We incurred no significant heat events after veraison in 2006, and had very mild weather conditions straight through harvest. This allowed sugar, flavor and tannin ripeness to occur simultaneously, producing fruit full of bold and generous varietal and regional expression, and highlighting the dark cherry and black currant fruit that is the hallmark of this great Cabernet winegrowing region.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The predominant fruit for our J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon comes from estate vineyards located directly opposite our J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center. The Seven Oaks vineyard was originally planted on its own rootstock, utilizing some of the original plantings from indigenous Estrella clones. The soils in
our Paso Robles vineyards vary from gravelly clay loam to limestone-based soils over a relatively small parcel of land, and various rootstock and clonal combinations have been used to maximize the expression of each individual site. The different soil types and planting combinations add to and complement the palate of the Seven Oaks Cabernet and the other red varietals we produce, including Merlot and Petit Verdot, to add balance and weight to the wine.

Tags: J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Oaks, wine review, wine tasting

2003 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza

(Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)

This wine was edging toward the Brunello feel.  However the quality level was not there.  The color was deep purple and a hint of dark brown. The nose had some apple and pear.  Not bad nose. It was hot and the alcohol was coming right out and did not settle down with time. The palate was short and hit you with tobacco, bark, black currents, and black liquorish.  It was short and on the dryer side.  I think this wine was ok for the money but I would not rush out to try it.  Had a darker bunello touch to it.

Rioja is probably Spain’s signature wine. Rioja is characterized by its long aging in oak barrels. The Crianzas are the youngest of the Riojas, reflecting the flavors and style of their bigger reserve and gran reserve siblings, but without the structure and depth of the long barrel aging. What results is a vibrant and easy-drinking wine with plenty of fruit, spice, and earthiness.

The Montecillo is typical of Crianzas. Its color is bright garnet with an effusive bouquet of ripe berries and sweet oak. In the mouth there is lots of flavor – cherries, cranberries, and roasted peppers. The oak flavors are somewhat muted and it finishes with soft tannins that are almost musty. Nice layers of flavor and lots of wine for the money. Will go well with pizza, roasted meats, and grilled veggies.

Tags: Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza, spanish wine, Wine Reviews, wine tasting

2004 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

While very good upon popping the cork and you could tell it’s only going to get better. The nose had old world all over it with notes of black currant licorice, cedar, and smokey. Nice earthy nose with some tobacco. Bight purple color hinging on the brown side. Palate has quality all over it. Seemed a touch short on the start and the mid palate was a little disjointed but very good overall. Chocolate and tobacco is prominent with hints of dark berries in the background. Dries out the palate on the finish and ends dark. Great wine for the money and worth a try.

Notes from Conn Valley web site:  http://www.connvalleyvineyards.com/notes.html

Vintage: 2004
Color: Dark ruby with almost a black-purple ring at the glass/wine interface
Aroma: Wonderful aromas of spice, with vanilla, sweet oak and coffee. Very
ripe blackberries
Taste: Well balanced between the acid, oak and fruit. Medium mouth feel, a
sweet black tea with honey taste. Soft tannins and texture on the sides with a
long f inish that is smooth, not bitter. Long lingering aftertaste. Should be at
its best 2012-2018.
The Year: The 2004 growing season was one of the fastest and earliest in history.
The quality of fruit was excellent and the yield light. The season started
with a warm spring, followed by a mild summer with extreme heat at the end.
The flavors for 2004 are high quality and intense and the colors beautiful.
The Wine: Conn Valley’s Cabernets are made from 100% estate grown grapes
from the vineyards located at the winery site in Conn Valley. This vintage is a
blend of numerous clonal varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, each of which contributes
to the character of the wine and adds complexity. Prior to blending
and bottling, the 2004 vintage was aged in the hillside caves located on the
Conn Valley Estate.

Tags: Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Est, Red wine, wine review, wine tasting

1997 Chateau Lynch Bages

(France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac)

We were in a Bordeaux mood and tried this beside a 91 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The 1997 was another tough year for Bordeaux, Parker rated it 83 and the 1991 78. I have to say I tend to agree on this. Although the Lynch-Bages was a bit more exciting than the Rothschild, it was still on the thin and weak side. Not as fruitful and complex as the 89, 96 and 2000 vintages.

The color was a deep purple and much thinner that it’s Cabernet brothers. We decanted this wine for an hour. The nose was still earthy and typical of a Bordeaux. The berries came through more than the tobacco and wet leaves. Really had matured in the nose. Old world quality but not overwhelming. The start on the palate was good with some pepper and blackberry. It was pretty rounded on the start and nothing was outstanding about it. The mid palate got into some floral qualities with a hint of eucalyptus and got a little earthy fast. The finish had the tannins really integrated and quickly transitioned into a bitter and stale feel to it. I got the feeling that this wine has peaked and has nowhere to go. To me this is an everyday type wine that needs some food parings with it but in that case is over priced at 50 bucks. Another pass for the French.

Tags: Chateau Lynch-Bages, Red wine, Wine Reviews

Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

(USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District)

This is a new world feeling wine with black fruits, berries with flowers, and chocolate. Rich and weighty on the palate with soft tannins and a touch of acidity. Very fruity on the nose and a dark purple color. The wine had some good hang time on the finish and was not bitter. This wine was crisp and clean with a refreshing feel which to me gave it a very new world feel. Overall good quality and balance.

From the Shafer web site:

“The 2005 One Point Five is a meatier, more structured wine [than 2004] but slightly deeper, with broad black currant fruit flavors intermixed with some spice box, crushed rock, and spring flowers. It is characteristic of Stags Leap in its elegance and finesse. The wine has good acidity and freshness, but is long and seamless.”
– Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate

“Rich, deep and complex, with a complex mix of fleshy currant, dried berry, anise, sage and mineral, framed by light cedary oak. Gains depth and complexity on the finish. Elegant and stylish.”
– James Laube, Wine Spectator

“Good deep bright ruby. Complex aromas and flavors of cassis, leather, earth, game, tobacco and sexy smoky oak, with a minty nuance emerging with air. Creamy-sweet and expansive in the mouth, with an almost exotic character to the intense fruit. As lush as it is, it maintains firm shape. Finishes with substantial broad, dusty tannins and impressive lingering sweetness.”
– Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

“Deep plum, cherry and cassis aromas show hints of lavender, black olive and oak spice.  Quite ripe and plump on the palate, there is enough brisk acidity to keep it tasting fresh, and the tannins are round now, yet substantial enough for short-term cellaring.”
– Linda Murphy, WineReviewOnline.com

“… nicely extracted and showing highlights of loam and woodsy spice in its ample aromas, this rounded and fairly full-bodied effort is all about the ripe cherries on the palate … plenty of firming Cabernet Sauvignon tannins on the back end …”
– Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine

“Yum. Yum. Yum! … This cab rocks – with rich, juicy, mouth-filling black fruits, silky tannins, hints of violet chocolate and spice, and remarkable length. Supple and drinkable now, it still has the structure and depth to age beautifully … it’s gorgeous!”
– Robert Whitley, syndicated columnist

Tags: Red wine, Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five, Wine Reviews, wine tasting

Heard from John Hazelewood at the vineyard on a post about the Sangiovese.  He mentioned to try the Zinfandel.  He was right and the Zin is much better and has more character than the Sangiovese.  This wine still had the same feel as the others in that they are very tasty compared to the look.  The color is a touch thin and sets you up for a failure but it’s not that way on the palate.  Light purple on the color with hits of bright purple around the edges.  The nose hit me immediately with a Windex smell to it.  This wine have a very clean, crisp, sharp feel to it.  It’s really interesting.  After the Windex the cherry and ceder come through. And consistent with their other wines, the palate is crisp and tasty.  Cherry hits you hard and the ceder matches the nose.  The fruit is plentiful and is still a touch industrial to me.  I just don’t know,  I taste tons of wine and this producer has me baffled because overall it seems like this wine should not be as good as it is.  Its different and I cant put my finger on it.  I want to visit them and gain some clarity.  Try this wine out because it is worth the money.

The J. Keverson Sangiovese post: http://www.thewinebloggers.com/j-keverson-sangiovese-2005-88-p

oints/

From J. Keverson’s site: Web Site

Production Notes: Picked at 23.4 brix on October 26 2006. Crushed, then cold soaked for 4 days. The brix raised to 26.4 after cold soak. Fermented for 12 days then pressed and put into 40% new oak, 40% 1 year old and 20% netural oak barrels. 80% American oak. Barrelled for 15 months. Bottled on Feburary 14, 2008. Winemakers Notes: Sourced from Hales Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, this lighter-bodied zin pleases the nose with aromas of back pepper, cinnamon, cloves, red cherry/berry, slight tobacco, guaiacol, cedar box, and anise. Like our award winning 2005 vintage, this is a well-balanced fruity zin. The alcohol is in check, not dominating and the acidity keeps this wine lively and fruit forward.

Released on May 25, 2008, this zin is a delicious summertime complement to barbecue beef or a leg of lamb with a berry sauce as well as a nice prosciutto or swordfish. For mid-week enjoyment, pair it with your favorite pizzas and pastas. On the bocce court, friends will love it with sharp cheeses such as teleme or aged gouda. Enjoy with friends now or cellar through 2013.

Tags: J Keverson Zinfandel 2006, wine review, wine tasting