with Dominique at Nouvelle then at KK 2007/02/18

Year	Wine	Price	Rating
2004	Ramey Claret, Napa Valley dark plum, stony mineral, cassis liqueur, coffee. Very well done. K&L has it at a lower price: 29.99 - so - ws	31.99	****½
2003	Sequoia Grove Cabernet, Rutherford, Napa very concentrated aroma, toasty oak and nutmeg, lots of blackberry, licorice, sage, velvety texture, perhaps flattened a bit more quickly than I like. And perhaps a little little bit of Brett aroma (barnyardy earth). - so - ws	29	****
2003	Robert Mondavi Cabernet, Stags Leap District, Napa Nouvelle's manager, Sean, opened a bottle and asked some customers to try his "aging ring", a magnetic device that supposedly makes wine taste better. You simply put this clamp on the neck of the bottle and pour and the magnetic field aligns the molecules of the wine making it less tannic. The wine was good, violet, blueberry, black cherry, chalky structure that is consistent before and after the aging ring. The after trial seems a slightly bit less chalky making it more velvety. But this is not conclusive as wine airs after each pouring as any experienced taster should know. Need a control experiment: two identical bottles opened at the same time, first tasted to make sure they are consistent, then apply ring to one bottle, pour at the same time into two glasses, tasted blind. This should be fun. Will get back to Sean later, perhaps when Dad comes. - so - ws	39	****