2008 Crios de Susan Balbo Torrontes, Argentina. $n/a. **½
Torrontes is the variety. fragrant, pungent, channel #5, honeysuckle, too feminine for me - so - ws
2006 Monmousseau, Vouray. $n/a. *
off dry, pineapple, lime, hint of cliantro, tired feeling, too sweet - so - ws
2006 Maison Louis Latour, Grand Ardeche. $7. ***
From Trader Joe's. My favorite house white. Pure chardonnay from France. dry, wheat, nutty, butter, elegant, finish short but keep you thinking about it. Enigmatic. - so - ws
2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough. $13. ***½
celery, lime, meyer lemon, very flavorful, a bit grassy may not be liked by all - so - ws
2006 Luna Pinot Grigio, Napa. $12. ***
Nice label. subtle, grapefruit, barley, pleasant - so - ws
2006 Kalinda Niersteiner Riesling, Rheinhessen. $10. ****
K&L club wine... seems like sold out. concentrated, peach, smoke, orange, apricot, phenomenol, very complex - so - ws
2007 Cantelys Blanc, Pessac-Leognan. $29.99. ***½
toasty, thyme, lemon, acidic, very concentrated, almond, long finish - so - ws
2006 Puygueraud, Cotes de Francs. $17.99. ***½
blackberry, plum, chocolate, chalky, hint of insecticide, may be just the glass?? - so - ws
2006 Pierre de Lune, St. Emilion. $46.99. ***½
Raspberry, mineral, coffee, leather - so - ws
2006 Clos Fourtet, St. Emilion. $59.99. ****
mocha, berry, soft tannins, long finish, tight - so - ws
2006 Carbonnieux Rouge, Pessac-Leognan. $29.99. ****
dark, ink, blackcurrants, earthy - so - ws
2006 Malmaison, Moulis. $19.99. ****½
cherry, oak, vanilla, deep, tannic, blackcurrants - so - ws
2006 Poujeaux, Moulis. $29.99. ***½
grapy, simple, silky - so - ws
2006 Langoa Barton, St. Julien. $49.99. *****
Elegant, blackcherry, violet, hint of mint, hint of earth, sweet astringency, hint of green pepper, long finish, like it. Bought 2. - so - ws
2006 Labegorce, Margaux. $36.99. **
insect repellent, prune, volatile acidity, kind of bad - so - ws
2008 Crios de Susan Balbo Torrontes, Argentina. $n/a. **½
Torrontes is the variety. fragrant, pungent, channel #5, honeysuckle, too feminine for me - so - ws
2006 Monmousseau, Vouray. $n/a. *
off dry, pineapple, lime, hint of cliantro, tired feeling, too sweet - so - ws
2006 Maison Louis Latour, Grand Ardeche. $7. ***
From Trader Joe's. My favorite house white. Pure chardonnay from France. dry, wheat, nutty, butter, elegant, finish short but keep you thinking about it. Enigmatic. - so - ws
2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough. $13. ***½
celery, lime, meyer lemon, very flavorful, a bit grassy may not be liked by all - so - ws
2006 Luna Pinot Grigio, Napa. $12. ***
Nice label. subtle, grapefruit, barley, pleasant - so - ws
2006 Kalinda Niersteiner Riesling, Rheinhessen. $10. ****
K&L club wine... seems like sold out. concentrated, peach, smoke, orange, apricot, phenomenol, very complex - so - ws
2008 Red Tree Pinot Noir, California. $7. *½
Hailed by James Laube (wine spec blog) but this wine tastes just like any cheap California red: anise bitter, cherry, tea leaves, not very pleasant - so - ws
2007 Angeline Pinot Noir, Sonoma/Mendocino. $n/a. **
restrained, red bean, herbal, long but unbalanced finish - so - ws
2007 Coppola Black Label Claret, California. $13. ***
From Costco. I like the label. the bottle is wrapped in a net made of gold color threads. Leathery, earth, blackberry, dusty, has some depth. - so - ws
2007 Canblau, Monsant. $12. **
From Costco. has some unheard of varietals. pepper, vanilla, short finish - so - ws
2006 Shiloh Road Cabernet, Napa. $12. ***
From Beverages and More. Vanilla, blackberry, med length, stony, one dimension but nice representation of Napa cab profile - so - ws
2006 Juan Gil, Jumilla. $12. ***½
From Costco. Like the silver label. spicy, berry, pepper, vanilla, good med to long finish, nice concentration too. I like this the best. - so - ws
2006 Martin Codax Ergo, Rioja. $n/a. *
chocolate, sherry like, I think this is oxidized - so - ws
2006 Santa Ema 60/40 Reserve, Chile. $7. *
woody, chalky, sour berry, not good at all - so - ws
2006 Chateau de Cugat, Bordeaux. $n/a. *
grilled meat, cumin, very strong aroma like ... stinky fox, green pepper, not pleasant - so - ws
2006 Beringer Cabernet, Knights Valley. $15. ***
I think I like it but this wine feels like it has been heated. Sugary, plummy, flabby, but has concentration. I think it should be good when fresh - so - ws
2005 J. Lohr Cuvee StE, Paso Robles. $50. ***½
From winery. This wine is also flat probably due to heat or exteme cold. Anise, blueberry, vanilla, choclate, aroma is nice. - so - ws
2007 Layer Cake Cabernet, Napa Valley. $24.99. **½
Severely overpriced. This is a venture by Jayson Woodbrige, owner of cult winery Hundred Acre. Strong Australian like jamminess, fat, big, flat, blackberry jam, herbs, generic ripe Cal Cab. - so - ws
2005 Chateau Bois Chantant, Bordeaux. $13.95. ****
K&L Wine Club Shipment. What a surprise. This non-specific Bordeaux wine tastes like a $40 St. Emilion. Made by internationally famous wine consultant Michel Rolland's team. New world, plum, cedar, tobacco, pencil lead, slightly meaty, very fragrant, toasty, very interesting, soft and chalky, hence lacking aging structure, but peak in 1 hour and very enjoyable. Must buy again to check for consistency. - so - ws
1999 Heitz Trailside Vineyard Cabernet, Napa Valley. $69.99. ****½
explosive blueberry, eucalpytus, plum, chocolate, spice, anise, very complex inky, long finish - so - ws
2000 Lynch Bages, Pauillac. $100. ****
coffee hint of Dong Gwai, red date, plum, chalky, was much better in the beginning, turned fruity and flat in the end, aromatics better than flavor. - so - ws
2005 Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet, Napa. $55. ***½
herbaceous, jammy, tight, berry, flabby - so - ws
2006 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay, Carneros. $28. ***
Vincent has membership in all these wineries, so we get VIP treatment and completely free tasting. This chardonnay is acidic, simple, butter, nose is tight, lemony, volatile - so - ws
2007 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay, Carneros. $28. ****
honeysuckle, floral, meyer lemon, concentrated, oak, lemon peel finish - so - ws
2005 Sequoia Grove Merlot, Napa Valley. $33. ***½
cedar, acidic, cherry, chocolate, mint, velvety - so - ws
2005 Sequoia Grove Stagecoach Syrah, Napa Valley. $28. **½
pomegranate, astringent, grilled herbs, boysenberry, strangely unbalanced - so - ws
2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet, Napa Valley. $34. ***½
cedar, bell pepper, black pepper, black currants, earthy, acidic - so - ws
2004 Sequoia Grove Reserve Cabernet, Rutherford. $70. ****½
opulent, olive, cedar, earth, black cherry, eucalyptus - so - ws
2005 Sequoia Grove Reserve Cabernet, Napa Valley. $65. ****
astringent, black current, herbs - so - ws
2005 Sequoia Grove Healy Vineyard Cabernet, Napa Valley. $80. *****
black cherry, pine wood, cedar, tight, velvety, long finish. This is a complex wine currently very tight because it was taken out of a cellar and poured for us immediately after opening. This has great potential. I like it. Overall, Sequoia Grove has very good value. The regular cab at $34, club member 27, K&L 30, is very good for the value. - so - ws
2006 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley. $42. ***
This is a sit-down members-only Library Reserve tasting event. This is my 3rd time tasting 2006 Montelena chardonnay in a month. This is unfortunately the worst. flabby, earthy, hint of petroleum, apple, very full body and toasty. No acidity, no crispness. I think this is an off bottle. I think the host, Ed, agreed but I spoke to him only after the event as there had been many other strangers in the same table. - so - ws
2003 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley. $30. ****½
cedar, tobacco, what a strong aroma, very good smelling, porcini mushroom, pepper, blackberry, concentrated, minty, flavor not as strong as aroma. I like this. Could have bought one. But considering the winery's bottle variation problem, I resisted the temptation. - so - ws
1999 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley. $175. ****
earthy, astringent, acidic, blackberry, medicinal, herbs - so - ws
2000 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley. $140. ***½
fennel seed, sage, raspberry, tart, sweet, no structure, what? US$140? you are kidding, right? I still had Sequoia Grove Healy Cabernet in my mind $80 regular, club member $64. - so - ws
2002 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley. $160. ****
chalky, sage, cassis, wet earth, started out with a short finish, later becomes somewhat medium to long. A more powerful wine than the above two. If I have to choose, I slightly prefer this more than 1999. They have given us a small marketing postcard. On it, you find Parker scores for their Estate Cabernet starting 1990 to 2004. They are 93 (1990), 95, 95, 91, 95, 94, 93, 95+ (1997), 93, 95, 90, 95+, 95+, 93+, 94+ (2004). To give a more balanced perspective, let me list WS scores for the same: 94 (1990), 91, 90, 90, 95, 92, 92, 95 (1997), 87, 94, 90, 69, 72, 87, 86 (2004). - so - ws
2007 Freemark Abbey Viognier, Napa Valley. $27. ***
I have to say Freemark Abbey has the nicest staff. They make many, many varietals from Viognier to late harvest Riesling. Since Vincent is a VIP, we tasted all free of charge and with smiling staff pouring. This viognier tastes like apricot/orange/peach juice, with a hint of white pepper, kind of candy like, alcohol, a hint of melon finish - so - ws
2007 Freemark Abbey Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley. $24. ***
grapefruit, celery, crisp, long finish - so - ws
2005 Freemark Abbey Pinot Noir, Napa Valley. $28. ***½
wet earth, cherry, spicy, vanilla, sandalwood, concentrated, hot. This one has Brett. - so - ws
2003 Freemark Abbey Zinfandel, Napa Valley. $28. ***½
blackcherry, black forest cake, raisin, black pepper, cedar, astringent, slightly grassy in finish - so - ws
2003 Freemark Abbey Syrah, Napa Valley. $28. **
pepper, tart, pickle, sour blackcherry, not pleasant - so - ws
2004 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah, Napa Valley. $30. ***½
chalky, very astringent, dark chocolate, blackberry, cola, low key, subtle, pepper - so - ws
2004 Freemark Abbey Cabernet, Napa Valley. $35. ***½
cedar, raspberry, astringent, spicy, hint of milk chocolate, silky body, smells like Sequoia Grove's regular cab. The latter slightly better in structure. This one is soft. - so - ws
1995 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet, Napa Valley. $95. ****½
Brett, cedar, earth, chocolate, berry, very concentrated, but brett is getting in the way - so - ws
2003 Freemark Abbey Bootleg Cabernet, Napa Valley. $45. ***
cherry, plum, cedar, light, med finish, herbs - so - ws
2003 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet, Napa Valley. $55. ****
hint of earth, jammy, raspberry, floral, plum, simple, astringent, spicy - so - ws
2004 Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet, Napa Valley. $65. *****
hint of Brett, blackcherry, chocolate, dusty, clove, long finish. Brett again. I think this is a systematic Freemark Abbey problem. I typed Freemark Abbey Brett at google and instantly found 4 bloggers agree with me on the first page. This can be really nice with a faint hint like this one. But I'm afraid as the wine ages, it will get more prominent like the 1995. - so - ws
2005 Freemark Abbey Josephyn, Napa Valley. $80. ****½
red currants, berries, mint, nutmeg, cranberry, long finish, plum, dusty - so - ws
