2005 Palazzo

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

The best part of this wine is the nose.  Very complex dark fruits with oak and floral.  It was enjoyable sniffing and it lasted. Color was a medium purple.  The palate was good but not outstanding.  It is a solid wine though.  Dark fruits loads of oak which was nice and finished off with some spices and charcoal.  Good solid fruit and the tannins were fresh hitting the side of the tong.  The 2005 was just a touch young and a coupe years will round out this wine. OK wine for 55 bucks.  I would try this if you like the oak monster because it is nice from that standpoint.

Robert Parker – Wine Advocate (93 Points)
“This blend of 70% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon may be the finest wine to emerge from Scott Palazzo, who makes only 1,100 cases of an unfined/unfiltered, French-styled red. The sexy, Pomerol-styled 2005 exhibits aromas of chocolate, espresso roast, sweet cherries, and black currants. The fragrant bouquet is followed by a silky-textured, medium to full-bodied wine with lush, mocha-infused flavors that cascade over the palate. Drink this beauty now and over the next 10-12 years. ”

From Palazzo site:    Click Here

Blend:	70% Merlot 22% Cabernet Franc 8% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% New French Oak
Bottling Date:	April 27th, 2007
Release Date:	November 1st, 2007
Total Produced:	1,100 Cases - 750ml
Price:	$55.00

Tags: Palazzo red wine, Red wine, Wine Reviews, wine score

2004 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

This Duckhorn Merlot 2004 was definitely more velvety and softer than the 05 and 03.  Nicely done on this one. Intense yet well balanced. Love the dark fruits and floral on the nose with hints of tobacco. Full bodied with plum, chocolate, mocha, and vanilla on the nose. Nice and powerful.  Solid deep purple in color. The palate is velvety and well rounded right through the mid palate.  Strong black fruits. The finish is not too hot and has length with tobacco mocha and just the right oak and earthly feel.  Plum, blackberry and spices. Although I am not a huge Duckhorn Cabernet fan for the money, I really like this 04 merlot and it’s worth a try.

From Duckhorn site:

June/July 2007

Dense inky purple hue. Scents of blackberry, walnut and mushroom. Spicy on entry with a continued walnut appeal, and more spicy pepper and clove that lead to loads of black fruit flavors with an elegant backing of cedar-laced tannins. Tart notes on the close with hints of maple and tobacco. 90 points

Wine Enthusiast

March 2007

There’s a beautiful Merlot in here but you’re going to have to paddle against the powerful tannins to find it. It brings to mind the old Duckhorn Three Palms Merlots, which were similarly tough and tannic in youth, but aged well. This wine is ripe in chocolate, blackberry, cassis, coconut macaroon and plum sauce flavors, but needs four or five years to begin to come around. 90 points, Cellar Selection

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

January/February 2007

Ruby-red. Cassis, chocolate, licorice and minerals on the nose; very Napa Valley. Rich, round and oaky, with supple flavors of currant, dark chocolate and spices. Finishes with fairly sweet, fine tannins and a lingering note of medicinal black cherry.

88 points

Restaurant Wine Issue #115

October 2006

A medium rich, supple Merlot, that is full bodied nearly luscious in texture and long on the palate, tasting of blueberry, kola nut, cherry, spicy oak, and roasted nut. Unusually fleshy in style. Four Stars

Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences

August 31, 2006

Fascinating green tea and spice components; nicely layered fruit of blueberry and red fruits. Graceful tannins, good acidity, and excellent balance to pair with medium-weight red meat.
Very Highly Recommended

Tags: Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot 2004, red wine review, wine review, wine tasting

1995 Château Ausone

(France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)

This Chateau Ausone was consistent for a St Emillion bordoux.  Quality wine and this 1995 was ready for drinking.  The color was on the brownish side. The palate started thin and was strong on the oak side but then it transitioned into a good quality Bordeaux.  The palate length was medium. Tannins hit nicely and smooth on the mid pa

late and into the finish transition.  Raspberry on the transition that accompany the oak.  Little earthy with hints of leather, herbal, plum and just a little tart.  Little bit of mineral.  Aged well.  This was a nice experience but I was not blown away.

Their Web Site

Tags: bordaux, Chateau Ausone 1995, wine review, wine scores

2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Nose very dark and foggy. little meaty and interesting and a step up from an everyday wine. a little minty on the tail end.  The palate was of good quality, this is a good wine; good flavor; the tannins were a little hot and a touch disjointed;got some green pepper thought and was leaning toward a Brdeaux-like approach with   cocoa; and tobacco coming through.  Had a nice old world feel to it.  Worth a try for the money.

From Bennett Lane web site:

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Price: $55.00

Our current release 2005 Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon was just awarded 93 Points by renowned wine writer Robert Whitley; “Bennett Lane is a relatively recent addition to the landscape around the village of Calistoga. Its strongest suit is pure, bold, mouth-filling Napa Valley cabernet, and there is no finer example of that than the 2005 vintage. It delivers a gorgeous nose of ripe cassis, with a hint of cedar and vanillin. The texture is slightly grippy in the most positive sense, and there is tremendous fruit lift through the mid-palate. This is a darkly fruited cabernet of uncommon depth, with exceptional palate length and persistence of flavor. And it’s supple enough to enjoy tonight, though this is one Napa cabernet I wouldn’t hesitate to lay down for several years.” With all of the incredible accolades of our 2005 vintage, this is another release that is sure to sell out fast!

This release opens with aromas of bing cherries and violets and continues with elegant subtle notes of clove and cedar. On the palate the wine has a nice mouthfeel, with flavors of black cherry and plum leading to a full velvety finish. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of both our Estate Lynch Family vineyard and select growers from throughout the best regions of the Napa Valley. Our Viticulturist Doug Wight farms nearly all of these properties, lending an added degree of consistency and cohesiveness.
Wine Profile

Vintage: 2005
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Date: October 2005
Aging: 18 months in French Oak, 20% New
Bottling Date: June 2007
Alcohol: 14.7%
Recommended Cellaring: 2009-2013

Tags: Bennett Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, wine rewiew, wine tasting

2005 Lancaster Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

(USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley)

This Lancaster was a serious contender.  Very solid and complex wine.  Strong earthy feel to it.  The color was deep purple hinting on brown.  The nose was very dark and mysterious with strong notes of black olive, blueberry and ceder/oak.  The palate was smooth and velvety and consistent to the earthy feel.  Black olive and blueberry were prominent.  The palate was long and the finish stayed dark and held the quality feel with burnt log and charcoal. This wine has character and is far from a table wine.  A couple more years will do this 05 well.  Solid, complex, mysterious.  This bottle was tight and deep when first opened up.  The concentration really rounded of in about 30 minutes.  This is a definite try for 75 bucks.

From Lancaster site:

2005 Lancaster Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker’s Notes
Estate grown, produced and bottled, our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon has lush ripeness, with deep black cherry and cassis characters, accented by anise, cacao, vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. Supportive tannins and layers of complexity extend over the long finish. Aged 22 months in French oak barrels, the wine was bottled unfiltered to retain purity of expression. 4,100 cases produced.

Lancaster Estate
Founded in 1995, Lancaster Estate is a family owned winery, dedicated to crafting wines that are Estate grown, bottled, and produced. Situated on 53 hillside acres at the southern tip of Alexander Valley, near the confluence of the Knights Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, this location enjoys the warm climate, depleted soils, and rugged hillsides uniquely suited to growing Bordeaux varieties.

2005 Vintage
Budbreak began early with warm temperatures in March, followed by rains in spring and early summer. A long, consistent growing season with temperatures warming in October led to clusters that were full and plump, with excellent flavor development and complexity. Yields were larger than average, showing excellent structure, with dense, full flavors.

Composition & Analysis
90% Cabernet Sauvignon
5% Malbec
2% Merlot
2% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
22 Months French Oak Barrels
Titratable acidity 0.55 g/100mL
pH 3.75
Alcohol, by volume 14.4%

Tags: Lancaster Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Red wine, wine review, wine scores

2004 Qupé Syrah Central Coast

(USA, California, Central Coast)

Ordered this Qupe Syrah in a tasting flight at a restaurant. The color was a typical Syrah. Dark in color with a touch or bright red around the edges. The nose was a little earthy with a mix of some fruit and veggies and a touch of mint and garrigue. Some tobacco lingers on the nose as well. The first sips were solid and this wine has some good body and was a little silky. I got some jam on this wine with a little blueberries. However there was some earthy touch to this wine but it did not integrate with the fruits the way it should. The tannins were medium and mixed well. This Qupe Syrah had a French Bordeaux feel to it. Overall good for the 15 bucks a bottle and would try it. Although, the wine wend stale pretty fast in the glass. After about 45 minutes it felt old. Qupe Website

Tags: Qupé Syrah Central Coast, Red wine, Wine, Wine Reviews

Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

(USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)

Had this wine at the Venetian in Vegas. Tasted side by side with Staglin Cabernet.  Great experience. Very strong nose of dark fruits, blackberry raspberry and some dried roses.  Really had a quality nose which matched and rolled over into the palate.  This had just the right amount of tannins and was very balanced. This wine was crisp and a little sharper than the staglin which is a little more velvet.  The Paul Hobbs had some mocha and blueberry with was a little smokey tail.  The palate was long and smooth,  It was not your typical harsh finish.  This was an 04 and drinkable now but felt like a couple more years will round it off nicely. Had a nice old world earthy feel.  Worth a try and although it is prices on the high side it is worth it.

From Paul Hobbs Site

Winemaker’s Notes
Inky black garnet color carries enticing aromas of red currant and tobacco leaf to introduce a weighty, complex, seamlessly integrated wine. The deeply textured palate displays a rich interplay of blackberry, cassis, graphite and mocha, with notes of cedar, espresso, lavender and smoke adding intrigue through the mid-palate. Big, ripe, fine-grained tannins grace a lengthy finish. Alcohol 15.3%

Tags: Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vin, Red wine, red wine reviews, Wine Reviews

2004 Pahlmeyer Jayson

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Nice wine overall right from the start. The Jayson Bordeaux bled red wine was dancing in every category. Although it is more of a new world red wine with a fruit explosion. The color was a deep thick purple and very viscus. Solid fruit nose with a little charcoal or tobacco and a hit of mering. At the start of drinking this bottle (we did not decant it) it had a little edge to it but the flavors of blueberries, dark fruit and spices were balanced. Medium body and the transition to the finish was quality and had about a mid hang time. The finish was solid and enjoyable. 60 bucks a bottle and this is a staple you should have on hand. I would give the Jayson 2004 a couple more years though. Definite try. It reminded me of the Prisoner Cabernet.

Composition: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec

Tasting Notes: The 2003 Jayson is an intense wine that exhibits aromas and flavors of deep black fruit, dark chocolate and finishes with focused tannins.

Winemaking Notes: The 2003 Jayson is a “declassification” of the wine originally intended for the Merlot and the Proprietary Red. We do not grow or seek out fruit in order to produce wine for the Jayson label. The 2003 Jayson Red was harvested and vinified in the same manner as the Proprietary Red and the Merlot; the whole berry fruit was from hand picked lots and fermented in short, open-topped stainless steel tanks and cold soaked, using native yeasts. The wine then continued fermentation in 100% new French oak barrels and was bottled neither fined nor filtered.

Pahlmeyer Website

Tags: cabernet, Pahlmeyer Jayson, Red wine, Wine Reviews

2006 ZD Wines Pinot Noir Rosa Lee

(USA, California, North Coast, Carneros)

Tasted this Reserve Pinot Noir at the winery in Napa and this wine first hit me with “I want more.” I felt it was a solid syrah and a better quality than most Pinot Noirs I had. Lots of plumb and sour cherries but it did also have a healthy level of oak. On the verge of too much oak. The palate definitely exploded right away and it was crisp with the fruit coming through strong. I liked the overall quality but it was bordering on industrial and fake. It is limited and its worth a try but on the high side for price. 70 bucks a bottle. If you are a pinot fan this is one you should try.

The winery was nice. Very professional and clean and it was a new feel and not the feel of an older chateaus type of place. I did feel a little un-special in the tasting room though. It was kind of like “movem in movem out” and they really pushed the sale.

Tags: pinot noir, Red wine, Wine Reviews, ZD Pinot Noir Rosa Lee

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino

(Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Had this wine out at the Catalina Jazz festival.  Color was medium dark purple and a little thin for a brunello.  The nose is complex and has some depth to it.  The nose went a little stale in about 15 minutes but while it lasted it had some leather, green peppers and dark red fruits.  Hint of tobacco and was earthy with good balance of oak. The palate was a little flat on the fruit and was leaning more to an everyday brunello.  After about 20 minutes it loosened up and the dark fruits and black liquorish come out strong. The tannins were just a bought right. length was ok. I think this wine needs a couple more years although it was good quality.  Not bad and worth a try if you don’t pay too much for it. Pleasant wine but not over the top.

Tags: Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino, wine tasting

2004 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses

(Spain, Catalunya, Priorat)

The nose has Smoke, herbs, dark cherries and tobacco with some vanilla. Very deep purple in color. Balanced acidity. Smooth mouth feel. Seems a little smother a couple hours into the opening. The palette has strong cherry, chocolate and tobacco. This wine started off a touch disjointed with the finish being a little too bitter with strong tobacco but is smoothed out with time. 2005 is young and I fell a couple years on this wine will do it justice. Good quality for the price, 27 bucks. Worth a try

winemaker’s notes: “A great introduction to Palacios’ style, is the 2003 Les Terrasses, a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Carignan, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A beautiful wine aged 12 months in primarily French, and some American oak, it is a supple-textured, sexy, seductive, deep ruby/purple-tinged offering exhibiting ripe notes of black cherries, currants, licorice, and minerals. Opulent, round, juicy, and alluring, it will drink well for 4-6 years.”

Tags: Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses, Red wine, tasting

2005 Château Boswell Chardonnay Dutton Ranch/Sebastopol Vineyard

I’m not a huge chard fan but this wine was a good time. Has an old world feel to it and I feel overall this winery is all quality and produces nice tasting wines. This chard has a nice gold color but not too dark. The tannins were just right and a hint of sweetness rounded it off. The palate hung on for a bit longer than most chardonnays. Burnt sugar, melon, citrus, and smoke on the taste. give it a try

Check out this other Chateau Boswell video

Check out this other Chateau Boswell video

Tags: Chateau Boswell Chardonnay, white wine, wine rating, wine review

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