2004 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

(USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain)

Soft and velvety with an explosion on the palate. Solid wine and is worth a try at 60 bucks a bottle.  Solid deep purple inky color. A few more years on this 04 and it will be a superstar. The wine is jammy and reminds me of a good bottle of the prisoner. Solid fruits, solid oak, solid tannins.  The wine is balanced and well rounded.  Lush dark berries and dark cherry. The mid palate stayed strong and the finish was medium with a smokey and earthy feel. The palate was much better than the nose.  The nose was good but not eventful with some ceder. Does not mean the overall wine is not good because this is a definite try in my opinion. Give it a little time in the decanter.

From Ladera’s site:

Our 2004 Lone Canyon Cabernet’s were cold soaked for upwards of 5 days before the commencement of fermentation. A combination of multiple strains of commercial and native wine yeasts were used. The average fermentations lasted 12 days. The free run wine was then separated from the skins which were pressed at several intervals of pressure; determined by taste and tannin intensity. The wine was then barrel aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (73% new). The wine was bottled August 23, 2006.

The 2004 Lone Canyon Cabernet is a perfect example of how rich and lush the wines from this property can be. This wine is exuberant in color and the aromas are alive with spicy and herbal fruit. The nose provides earthy, brambly undertones with brilliant dark fruit. A full bodied entry hits the palate with flavors of dark cherry and licorice. The wine is layered with textures that are bold and masculine yet maintain tannins of a velvety character. The dark fruit flavors blend with the complex tannins to produce on extremely long fruit finish.

Tags: Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, wine review, wine scores

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

2005 Quintessa

(USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford)

Really solid wine every time I have it.  Has an old world feel that I really like. I like the 04 a little better th

at the 05 just because the 04 was a touch smoother. Dark purple on the color with brown around the fringes. Vanilla and plumb on the nose with a soft silky touch of burnt logs.  This is an elegant wine that gives me the feel of a dark high end New York cigar wine bar. I love the wine but the 05 was borderline on the price.  A couple years more and it will bring this wine to where it needs to be. Berries, plumb, chewy, velvety, and a lavish wine. Give it a try.

From Quintessa Site:

“Quintessa, like all classic wines of the world, bears the same name as the vineyard from which it is made. Our goal is to produce the best expression of this extraordinary vineyard each year. In broad terms, Quintessa is a red meritage wine. The vineyard’s diversity provides us wide stylistic options for the wine. Fruit from each component block of Quintessa is harvested, sorted, then gravity fed into either oak or stainless steel fermentation tanks. Once fermentation and maceration are complete, each block wine is aged separately for up to two years in french oak barrels in our caves. After this ageing period the components are brought together and the final Quintessa blend is created. The wine is then bottled and laid down for yet another year before release. Although each vintage is unique, we have discovered that finesse and elegance best express the character of the vineyard and as such, we blend for harmony, balance, and length of flavors. Above all, our objective is to make Quintessa a delicious wine that is complementary to food.”

Agustin Huneeus
Vintner/Proprietor

Tags: Quintessa, wine review, wine score

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

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

Medium color, off nose but good taste.  I’m not really a huge Sterling fan but the reserve is worth a try.  I found it a little off from a typical Cabernet in that it was more of a earthy and Bordeaux style.  The nose was subdued with vegetable and ceder.  The palate hit the ceder strong.  The balance was a little off in that the heat and flavors were somewhat of a departure from each other. This was a little boring for a reserve. Palate was ceder, blackberry, chocolate and green pepper. Given all that, the taste was unique and is worth a try because it may be your style.

Tags: Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, wine review, wine tasting

2005 Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes

Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

Black olives and dark fruits on the nose.  Very strong jammy feel. The color is a deep solid purple.  The tast is jammy on the start and has the taste on the Orin Swift Prisoner for starters.  Kind oj jammy and lots of suger on the palate in the beginning with some tartness. Hits the tong strong on the sides with the tannins. Good strong start and gets better over time, about 30 minutes.  However it goes a little stale in the glass fast and has some mineral of metal taste to it. The mid palate goes bitter fast and the overall finish is short and has a strong tannin taste that lingers.  The alcohol does come out and is a little disjointed from  the flavors.  I like this wine for the money. The second day on this wine is much smoother.  Give it a try.

Tags: Two Hands Shiraz Gnarly Dudes, wine review, wine tasting

2003 Rutherford Hill Merlot

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Veggies throughout.  Deep purple in color and the color and body is decent.  The nose has loads of green pepper, black olive, plumb and dark fruits.  The nose is better than the palate.  This wine is kind of boring and borders on an everyday table wine.  The wine is shallow and short.  Very little fruit and what fruit you can taste disappears fast and transitions into a very disjointed taste and feel.  This wine goes dark fast and is very bitter on the finish.  Really short.  I would give this a pass.

Rutherford site

From their site:

Variety: Merlot
Vintage: 2004
Appellation: Napa Valley
Varietal Composition:Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec
Color: Magenta
Aroma: Berries, cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon with hints of tobacco
Flavor: Dark cherries and rich chocolate with a hint of oaky sweetness
Approximate Lifespan in a Proper Cellar: 5-7 years
Bottling Dates: Summer 2006
Alcohol Content: 14.2%

Tags: Rutherford Hill Merlot 2003, wine review, wine tasting

2002 Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gaston

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Nice soft and balanced wine.  No one flavor or characteristic came out which made this feel like a real quality wine.  The nose was mild with light oak, floral and cherry. The color was s mild to dark purple.  The palate had cherry, light tobacco, hints of oak and fell in line with the nose on the floral side.  It took about an hour for it to really open up and sing. This wine was lush and one of the most velvety vines I had.  Not over the top and good quality. I visited this winery and was impressed with the operation.  Not sure if there process makes a major difference but the quality is definitely there.  May be a touch expensive for this wine at 100 bucks a bottle but that does not mean it is not good. Worth a try at about 60 bucks.

From their site:

Lovingly named after our son, Christian Gaston, this wine represents the best lots of Cabernet made in the vineyard. This limited Cabernet Sauvignon is not made every year, and is released only in years where we feel that the vintage is strong enough to warrant a separate Cabernet in the portfolio.

The production volume of these wines are limited, this wine is reserved for our wine family member and visitors.

Tags: Palmaz Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gaston, wine review, wine tasting

2001 Opus One Overture

(USA, California, Napa Valley)

Had the Opus little brother.  Definitely not Opus but I think Overture is a better value for 45 bucks than Opus is for 150.  The color of this wine was constant with Opus but a little thinner.  The nose was a little more like a Bordeaux with light fruits.  This wine did come off like a little industrial though. It needed to open up a little and i would not open and pour.  After about 30 minutes it opened up a little and was a constant cab.  Little hot on the tannins. The wine was a little metallic and not real strong on the fruit. Had some veggies and some light tobacco.  This wine is good and much better than an everyday wine but I would be hesitant to have too many bottles at 45 bucks.  Try it out for the experience but don’t load up on it.

Tags: Opus One Overture, wine review

2004 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Appellation Series San Francisco Bay

(USA, California, San Francisco Bay)

Very enjoyable nose.  Plumb pear strong musty ceder and black pepper.  deep purple hinting on brown.  The palate is together and has a little hot bang right on the start.  This wine is zesty and bold with blackberry, green pepper, dark fruits.  It also has some floral ascents.  Some hints of plumb and black pepper. The finish is medium and kind of smooths off the wine.  Not too harsh on the finish. A little tangy on the finish.  Not bad.  this wine is worth a try for the money because it is not an everyday feeling wine.

From Rosenblum’s site:

This is one of the most exotic Zinfandels in our extensive line that we have had the privilege of making. It exhibits a huge core of black cherry fruit with elements of bramble, cassis, and vanilla in the bouquet. The flavors are ripe black cherry and blackberry with hints of spicy plum and black olive in the flavors. The wine goes very well with heavy red sauces, pizza, barbecue and roasted lamb.

Rosenblum site

Tags: Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Appellation Series San Fran, wine review, 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

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

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