Sky Saddle Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

California
Mendocino County
14.5% alcohol
from WineQ

The Wooden Guys like this wine. They like it a lot.

The nose on this wine has a distinct vegetal smell plus dark fruit. I was having some trouble putting my finger on exactly what so I went to the jellies and figured it out. Sure, there is some blackberry and maybe some dark cherry, but this time there was also something else. Elderberry. Yup, elderberry. I have a jar of Trappist Preserves just for this purpose. It is a richer earthier smell than most preserves or jellies. Interesting. It was also rather hot, not a big surprise at 14.5% alcohol.

Oh man is that complex. This is going to take a few minutes. I can tell you to start with that it ran from attack through midpalate to finish and hit about 8 distinctly different points in just a few second. Give me some time to work through this one. First, crisp french toast with elderberry preserves. The fruit is very earthy and sweet, very rich, and there is a crisp fried bread taste, too. This is a very rich full-bodied wine, but not a fruit bomb. The depth and earthiness of the fruit keeps it from being overpowering. Blackcurrant comes out on the midpalate along with vanilla and brown sugar. Mouth feel is quite good, matching the richness of the fruit. Tannins are powder-fine but significant. They do not overpower, but dry enough to leave a sense of leather along with a long sweet finish.

This could really be terrific on Night Two. Or it could fall apart completely. Let's see, okay?

Night Two

The elderberry is still there on the nose. In fact, it is more obvious because the nose is more fruity, jammy, than on Night One. Blackcurrants are there, too, but only secondary to the elderberry.

The palate is still very complex, even more than on Night One. Elderberry, blackcurrant, plus sour cherries are the fruit, but that is not all. Add a brown sugar crust on crispy french toast, with all that fruit as a jammy compote on top, and you get the midpalate if you sprinkle it with nutmeg and cinnamon. The finish is sweet and leathery, tannins far smoother than on Night One. It is long, too. Mouth feel is full bodied.

This is good, very good. I think it will get even better with some cellar time.

Stevenot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Sierra Foothills
California

The Little Wooden Guy is not pleased.

Night One

The nose is very classic California Cabernet. Blackcurrants, plums and spice. Vanilla is evident but not overpowering. There is also a touch of tobacco and cedar. It is a very nice nose, one you can revel in for a long time before even taking the first sip.

The fruit is more red than black on the palate. Cherries and baking spice are out front, tannins are mild and very smooth. It is surprisingly acidic and bright.

It will be interesting to see how this holds up up on the second night, given the low tannin content and high acid in a Cabernet.

Night Two

Funky, just funky. The nose on Night Two is green pepper and spoiled milk. Through that you can smell a little cinammon and black fruit.

On the palate, a ton of graphite and raw tobacco leaf overpower the red and black fruit. The bright acidity from Night One is gone, replaced with drying tannins. The mouth feel is thin.

No, I did not find this to be a wonderful wine. The promise of the nose on Night One was not met by the nose or the palate on Night Two.

Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 2005

Montepulciano, Italy
Sangiovese
13% alcohol
Vinyl "cork"

The Little Wooden Guy is just not sure of this one. It really might be good in a few years, so he is reserving his opinion.

When first opened this was very tannic and tight.

Two or three hours later I tried it again. The nose was harsher than you would expect from 13% alcohol. Fruit, sour cherries and raspberry, could be smelled through the alcohol. There was also a strong floral aspect, lavender I would say.

On the palate all the fruit came across as stewed. There was some tobacco and flowers, but still harsh. Tannins are still overpowering and drying. The finish is short.

It will be interesting to see if this changes over night.

Night Two

On the second night the alcohol is far milder, no longer overwhelming the nose. Cherries and raspberries again, but not as tart this time. Add some black fruit to the nose as well, all very ripe, even over-ripe, and sweet. There is also sweet vanilla and oak.

On the palate, tannins are still strong and drying. Red fruit predominates, secondary flavors of tobacco and cedar join along for the ride. A bit of anise slowly grows into a background shine at the end. The wine is even-bodied, the finish moderate in length.

Based upon this two day tasting, I would say this could be very good in a few years, but really deserves time in the cellar.

Hugel Twitter Tasting

Okay folks, I am going to deviate from my usual method here, for a couple of reasons. First, Bin Ends Wine held its second live Twitter Tasting Thursday night, featuring several different wines from Hugel et Fils. Etiene Hugel participated, so that was a real treat. Second, I pleanned to keep my live Twitter notes, follow up a second night, and have a real 2 Days per Bottle tasting. Unfortunately, Twitter seems to have dumped everything more than a day old, and I can't retrieve those notes. Therefore, in lieu of two days, I will just steer you to some sites that gave first night reviews, and give you second (or even third) day reviews here. Those should give you some idea of what happens to these wines with some time after corking. They were all re-corked and stored in the refrigerator. Two were re-tasted the second night, and two the third.

For some reviews from Night One go to Smells Like Grape, The Wine Conversation, and Spittoon. You can find pictures of one Hugel Twitter party HERE.

2006 Hugel et Fils Gentil

First, my recollections from the live tasting. The palate opened with citrus, a lot of lemon and some lime, as well as some minerality. Then, after a few seconds, there was what I can only describe as a short and sudden flash of mango, then back to a softer but still lemony finish. The acids did not quite balance out the fruit, leaving this noticeably fat. It had a good mouth feel and is quite reasonably priced at about $14 (community average price on Cellar Tracker), but the inbalance toward fat keeps me from recommending it.

2005 Hugel et Fils Pinot Blanc Cuvée les Amours

I managed to retrieve a few of my notes from Night One for this one, but they are really just runnong comments:

Something soft and buttery there, too. Was there wood involved? 07:33 PM August 21, 2008 from web

Much leaner palate than the Gentil. White grapefruit and wild lemon, lick a rock then bit the rinds. 07:32 PM August 21, 2008 from web

Honestly, I'm getting Fig Newton, not fig. Plus some key lime. Nose is very light, I'm fighting for smell. Could be b/c I'm outside w/ kids 07:30 PM August 21, 2008 from web

First impression- lighter in color. 07:26 PM August 21, 2008 from web

Let me try to make some sense of that. This was far lighter in color, a bright clear straw, than the Gentil. The nose ws far more closed- you really had to search for the nose. When you found it, there was some sweetness that some described as fig, but I found more like Fig Newton, plus a sweet citrus, more Key Lime than Lime. On the palate, though, it was more citrusy. There was a lot of white grapefruit- eat a wedge without peeling away the pith after you peel the rind and you'll have it perfectly, plus the pure tartness of wild lemons. Stone was there, too, wet river rocks. After it warmed up a bit there was also a sense of softness, some butter that made me wonder if any wood was used here.

Night Two

On Night Two the buttery soft and sweet was more evident. The first scent in the glass was butterscotch, clearly butterscotch, plus some lemon zest. It also had a clean mineral aroma.

On the palate, stones, lime zest and lemon juice at first. Keep it long enough, though, and that same butterscotch showed up on the midpalate.

This was a far better wine than the Gentil, more balanced, cleaner. It had sweet and tart, acid to balance fruit, but nothing overpowered anything else. It also did something I particulalry enjoy in wine, evolve in the mouth, giving you first one thing then another. With a community average price of $13.98 (Cellar Tracker) I can recommend this one.

2006 Hugel et Fils Gewürztraminer "Hugel"

I have no notes from Night One, and really don't remember much. You will see why when you get to the Jubilee. I do remember it was a much sweeter wine than the rest, which is interesting when you get to the Night Two palate notes.

Night THREE

The nose ws still sweet and fruity. Lychee was the primary smell, joined with some ripe peach. It was not overpoweringly sweet, balanced by a clean mineral smell plus just a bit of lime zest.

On the palate, though, it fell apart. I do not know if it was a storage problem (re-corked and refrigerated), and in all fairnes that must be considered. I did not get to it until Night Three, and that might just have been too long to do it justice. It was all white grapefruit, more pith than fruit, plus a slight sweetening from peach. Simply stated, it just was not very good. Is it fair to judge based on this? I don't think so. That said, I think I would not go out and buy some more. But that's okay, because it means I save money to buy ...

2004 Hugel et Fils Riesling Jubilee

An average commnity price of $41.42 (Cellar Tracker), and worth every penny. I remember my impression of this one from Night One- picture an older, slightly soft Ginger Snap, put a small slice of lemon and a small slice of lime on it, then add two drops of diesel. Eat. Enjoy. If you have not experienced the joy of a good Riesling, diesel and all, that might not sound great. It was.

Night Two

The nose was still redolent of spice and citrus, ginger snaps and lemon zest. you could sniff this and forget to drink, it was so nice.

On the palate, a treat. The following description sound sweeter than it really is. Picture a very well-balance dry white with flavors reminiscent of what I describe, rather than picturing the things themselves, and you will have it perfectly. More the memory of the thing than the thing itself, or the lingering taste when the food is gone. Okay, ready? White cake with lemon icing, ginger snaps and holiday spice, a couple of drops of diesel, all laced gently through a dry mineral white with acidity to last years, fruit to make you want it today.

This was a very good wine. I recommend it highly.

That's it. Huge thanks to Etiene Hugel and Bin Ends Wine for great wine, great prices, and a great event.

Stoneleigh Pinot Noir 2006

Marlborough, New Zealand
13% alcohol
$17.99 in Indianapolis
Screw-cap closure

The Little Wooden Guy is not impressed.

Wienmaker's comments:

This wine displays a fragrant bouquet of red berry fruit, coupled with savory spice from ageing the wine in French oak. The palate is soft and supple with lingering fruit sweetness. This is balanced with fine velvety tannins to give the wine depth and structure to mature. - Jamie Marfell, Winemaker

Night One

The nose opens with red fruit, strawberries and cherries. That is followed by the wooden-sweet-spice smell of birch beer, then a bit of caramel.

The palate is just as red, strawberries and cherries again, but a bit more tart than the nose suggested. It was spicy with pepper and cardamom, brightly acidic, and very softly tannic. An hour or two later, as it warmed from the cellar (55 F) to room temperature, vanilla made a powerful appearance.

Night Two

Strawberries, white pepper and a little vanilla on the nose.

Over night it lost a lot of sweetness. Strawberries and cherries are still there, but more like the fruit skins than the fruit itself. It seemed more tannic, again, as if from fruit skins. There is very little to the palate other than that.

On the first night this seemed like an adequate Pinot with a good QPR. The huge drop-off on Nigh Two gives me pause.

Chateau Branaire-Ducru 1999

Grand Cru Classe en 1855
Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France
13% alcohol

The Wooden Guys liked this one!

Night One

The color is garnet, but starting to turn to brick. The rim thins out with a hint of brown just before it turns clear.

This wine has a big strong nose. It has a lot of barnyard funk to open, but that blows off quickly. Then it brings a lot of smoky meat, real cigar box (cedar and tobacco) and a bucketload of red fruit.

The palate is big, too. It carries that bucketload of fruit from the nose to the mouth. It has smoked meat, pencil lead, and cedar. Flowers join on the midpalate. Tannins are very fine but still powerful, a rigid backbone that offers a promise of more years in the cellar.

Night Two

Red fruit, lots of red fruit, opens the nose. Cigar box follows, cedar first, then if you sniff deeply, tobacco second.

I don't want to stop drinking this long enough to reveiw it. The palate, like the nose, explodes with red fruit. Pencil lead, cedar and tobacco, then violets and a touch of clove. Tannins are smooth and silky, but still retain enough power to coat and dry the mouth.

This is good wine. It is still fruity and a little tannic, hinting to a lot more life left in the cellar.

Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Casablanca Valley, Chile
13% alcohol

My kids' Webkins got jealous of all the attention to the Wooden Guys. They did not get to drink the wine. They are too young. The Little Wooden Guy, on the other hand, liked this tropical/citrus summery white.

From the bottlenotes:

Los Vascos, one of Chile's oldest wine estates, is controlled by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), who began a comprehensive modernization and investment program in 1988. the 500-hectare vineyard is located in the Colchagua province which offers a healthy microclimate for its ungrafted pre-phylloxera Bordeaux rootstock. Under the direct technical supervision of the Domaines, Los Vascos is committed to producing the finest consistent and balanced wines whose elegance and harmony are to be shared with discriminating connaiseurs around the world.

Night One

Color is a very light pale straw, clear and bright.

The nose is very citrusy, mostly lime, and a little white grapefruit grapefruit, plus just enough of a tiny hint of "gooseberry" (better known to most as "litterbox") to say clearly it is Sauvignon Blanc. After a few seconds a softer tropical smell also comes through, reminiscent of lychee.

On the palate, just at irst, for perhaps half a second, banana is the primary flavor. That transitions almost instantly to citrus, then softens and sweetens on the midpalate, finishing with the taste of pears.

Second Night

The nose on the second night was softer, more tropical, opening with pineapple, key lime and lemons, along with the ubiquitous hint of cat.

The palate, too, is softer and more tropical. Pineapple, banana and lemon open before it turns into pure citrus, lemon and white grapefruit. The finish adds just the smallest flavour of pecans to the pears from the first night.

If you like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, if you think litter box is the apex of this varietal, this is not the wine for you. But if you like clean citrus and soft fruit this is a nice bottle of wine at a good price.

Amaicha Bonardo 2005

Mendoza, Argentina
13% alcohol
weird black vinyl stopper

The Big Wooden Guy thinks $5 is a great QPR for this wine.

From the bottlenotes:

In the desert of northwestern Argentina where the llamas roam and the Andes mountains rise up to meet the immense blue sky, there is a magical place, lost in time. The indigenous inhabitants of this small town live off the land and practice the traditional hand crafts that have been passed down through generations of forefathers. Here they celebrate the "Pachamama," or mother earth, who bestows on them her many precious gifts and allows them to continue their dignified and ancient way of life.

We make this wine in honor of the Pachamama, and of the inhabitants of this special place where she is most revered. The place is AMAICHA.

By purchasing this wine you will be contributing to the building of a new special school house in the town of Amaicha del Valle, Province of Tucuman, Argentina.

The Bonardo grape produces a full bodied wine overflowing with juciy berry flavours, and pairs well with red meat and game. Originiating in Italy it of course does a great job in helping down a plate of pasta.

First Night

The nose was very light and fruity, very pinot-like at first. It had cherries and strawberries, followed by anise and black pepper.

The palate was quite different from the nose, darker, with black cherries, tar and roasted nuts. The backbone was made up of more acid than tannin, though tannins were evident, soft, with a bit of leather. The finish was short.

Second Night

Much jammier on night two, blueberry and elderberry, plus some vanilla and black pepper.

The palate was also different, softer and richer, black cherries, blackberries and nutmeg. It also seemed slightly more tannic on Night Two, though acid still drives this fresh red.

This has a great QPR. It cost me $5 at Trader Joe's and did not actually offend. in fact, it was pretty good.

WBW #48 Manischewitz Concord Grape N/V

11% alcohol
51% or more Concord Grape wine

From the bottle:

A specially sweetened kosher wine containing not less than 51% concord.

Today is the fourth anniversary of Wine Blogging Wednesday, and the topic is back to your roots:

We're all wine lovers, but we have gotten where we are today in a variety of ways on a variety of paths. These long, windy paths are littered with wines the world over. I just want you to pick one of the wines from the beginning of your journey, taste it again for the first time in a while, and tell us about it.

Maybe you remember the very first wine you ever tasted. Try it again.

Okay. I did.

Manischewitz Concord Grape was part of every ceremony, from simple Shabbot dinners to Passover, from Hannukah to weddings. I don't remember it, but I tasted it for the first time when I was a mere 8 days old, when a mohel dipped a cloth in some and let me suck on it, a very traditional anasthetic for the act to follow.

As a child I got a tiny little glass, a liquor glass, that looked like a miniature version of my parents' wine glasses. My sisters could not stand the stuff. They took the tiniest sips, making one glass last through the evening, usually with leftovers. I, on the other hand, drained it whenever somebody said "drink" (or, more likely, "Ba-ruch a-tah, A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam, bo-rei p'ri ha-ga-fen. Amen."). Manischewitz, or its counterpart Mogen David Concord Grape, were the first wines I ever tasted, and likely the only ones I tasted for my first 15 years or more. Oh, one more thing. We would drink the same bottle until it was gone. At Passover it was grape jelly and sugar. By Hannukah, though, it was as oxidized as could be. Tonight I will be reviewing the Hannukah version:

The nose is pure oxidized wine, bruised plums and port. On the palate, imagine putting one cup of port in a blender, add one cup of sugar, and blend. Then sip. Once. I can't call what follows a "finish," but there is definitely an aftertaste.

Buttonwood Farm Merlot 2003

Santa Ynez Valley, California
85% Merlot
15% Cabernet Franc
13.7% alcohol

The Big Wooden Guy likes it. Also, we got a frog to keep the goldfish company.

From the bottlenotes:

Merlot...full bodied and supple with a spicy disposition. Take her to dinner with lamb, beef, pork or duck.

The first thing you notice on the nose is leaf tobacco and earth, a bit of a surprise in this Santa Ynez Valley Merlot. The 15% Cabernet Franc announces its presence with enthusiasm. Blackcurrant is the predominant fruit.

Blackcurrant and tobacco open the palate. They are very quickly replaced by cocoa and dark cherries, then some earthy mushrooms. It is all just slightly peppery, very pleasant. Tannins were soft and mouth-coating. Finish was surprisingly long.

So far, on Night One, this was a surprisingly good Merlot.

Night Two

Tobacco and blackcurrants are still strong on the nose. If you really stick your nose in a big glass and wait, you might catch a hint of blueberry in the background.

This wine has barely changed from Night One. Blackcurrant and tobacco stay on the palate a bit longer, then it goes straight to mushrooms and pepper, skipping the sweet cocoa and cherry midpalate. Tannins actually seem just a bit firmer, a soft but real backbone. Finish is still long.

This is really a very good wine, a surprisingly complex merlot for under $20.

I just noticed something interesting- I tried this very same wine, from the same shipment from California Wine Club, in June, and I hated it. It was not a matter of just being in a different mood, either. I remember that other bottle and it was just plain bad. It tasted terribly fake, chemical, and plainly gritty. Given the gross inconsistency between the two bottles I can not possibly recommend buying this, even though the second bottle was very good.

Peter Lehman Clancy's 2004

43% Shiraz
42% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
14.5% alcohol
Barossa, Australia

Have you met the Big Wooden Guy yet? You can probably tell from the picture what he thought of this one.

From the bottlenotes:

Among the world's great wine drinking experiences. Clancy's has established itself as Australia's Legendary Red. A blend of Barossa Shiraz 43%, Cabernet Suavignon 42% and Merlot 15%. Clancy's provides consistent enjoyment with its rich flavours and smooth finish. The stuff of Legends!

First Night

This is a fruity wine. Black fruit is dominant, plums and currants, plus some black pepper and a little tobacco. Cherries from the Merlot were more obvious on the palate, where they joined the black fruit, though the plums and currants were still dominant. Tannins were very soft, as if the Merlot were the primary fruit rather than shiraz and cab. Tobacco and white pepper showed up on the midpalate.

Second Night

The alcohol is a lot more obvious on the nose the second night. I am really having to fight through a hot nose to find fruit. The fruit smells a bit sharper, blackberries instead of plums, to go with the currants. The black pepper is still there. After an hour or so the nose shows some sweetness in the form of maple/brown sugar at the very end.

This has changed completely since Night One. It is more full, rich, thick, and even sweet. The plums and currants are there at first, but black cherries come on strong on the midpalate. Those are followed by a mouthful of brown sugar, cloying and too sweet. The sugars ruin the finish. They leave an aftertaste of brown sugar instead of fruit. Tannins are very soft, so soft the wine lacks backbone. This was not a terribly impressive effort, and not one I could recommend.

Hananomai Sake

Jun-Mai-Ginjo
15-16% alcohol

From the bottlenotes:

HANANOMAI ("Dance of the Flowers") has been brewing the masterpiece of sake using only purest water from Mt. Fuji and the best quality rice in Shizuoka Prefecture since 1664. Enjoy the dry, smooth taste of handcrafted HANANOMAI SAKE, Jun-Mai-Ginjo.

Night One

The nose is all florals and tropical fruit, soft and lovely. Bananas and mangos are the leading fruit, magnolias the flowers. There is also grain, but in the background.

The wine is a little thick on the palate. Banana and flowers, more lilac than magnolia, plus some diesel give a grain version of Reisling. The finish is smoky and long.

Night Two

The nose is a little grainier on night two but bananas are still in the forefront. Mangos have a stronger presence. The florals are not as prominent.

It is still viscous on the palate, still dominated by tropical fruit. Diesel is also there, and a grain and smoke finish.

I have no expertise in sake beyond the usual warmed-up crap I tried once in a Japanese restaurant. This is as far from that as a decent Bordeaux is from your first sip of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill. Chilled, it was delightful with sushi and sashimi, particularly with a lot of wasabi.

Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Cotes du Rhone 2005

13.5% alcohol

Night One

Thick fruit opens the nose, strawberry jam and plums. These are followed by cinammon and green pepper.

The palate starts with the same strawberry jam and plums, with a clear midpalate of asian spices and smoked meat. Tannins are very fine, even dusty, but firm, still strong and not fully integrated, adding leather to the finish.

Night Two

Florals were way out front on night two, violets and lilacs. There was fruit, too, mostly bruised plums. In all fairness, I think this got a little over-oxidized from one night to the next so it is really not fair to keep judging it.

This was pleasant but not wonderful on Night One and gone on night two. The bottle was well sealed, the Vacuu-Vin top still had a good seal and suction. I expect I will not be running out to buy more of this one.

Century Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Housley's Century Oak Vineyards
Lodi, California
2003
Alcohol 14.6%

The nose is very vegetal, lots of green pepper and cut stalks. Blackcurrants and some blueberries peek out from the green. Finally there is a hint of vanilla under the fruit and the vegetation.

The palate is also very vegetal. If I tried this blind I would guess it was from South America, with the distinctive green pepper taste. Blackcurrants and vanilla are there too, flopping on the edge of sharp hard tannins.

I am not loving this wine. Can you tell? But don't give up too fast. I will give it a second look tomorrow night.

NIGHT TWO

The nose is still weedy, all cuttings and green pepper. On the palate, well, it did not get better. I can, however, describe this perfectly. First, grind up some oak very fine, down to powder. In a separate bowl combine the juice of 1/2 a cup of blackberries and one small plum (save the skin) with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Now poke small holes in the plum skin and, using it as a seive to catch the blackberry pips, pour it into the bowl with the oak powder. Stir well. Drink. But only if you must.

Close Pegase Merlot Mitsuko's Vineyard 2002

Carneros
Napa Valley
14.4 alcohol

From the bottlenotes:

Clos Pegas assumes its name from the immortal Pegasus, the Winged Horse of Greek Mythology* whose thundering hooves unleashed the mythical Spring of the Muses, giving the rise to wine and art.

This offering from our Estate is composed of 99% merlot from Mitsuko's Vineyard in Carneros, tempered with 1% of Cabernet Franc from the Home Ranch* in Calistoga. The wine was aged 16 months in 35% new French oak, and expreses our dedication to both the craft of winemaking and the unique terroir of our vineyards.

Please visit Clos Pegase the next time you tour the Napa Valley.

*Their capital letters, not mine.

The color is gorgeous, deep inky-black purple with a garnet rim.

The blackcurrants in the nose might trick you, at first, into thinking it is a cabernet sauvignon. Keep your nose in it, though, and the aroma changes, aschocolate covered cherries and cream come out.

The palate is very plummy with blackcurrant up front, followed by raspberries and tobacco. Tannins are a little dusty but very soft. There is also plenty of acidic sharpness highlighting the fruit. The two together give this wine plenty of backbone, and six years into the vintage it still looks and tastes young and fresh.

NIGHT TWO

The second night the aroma profile is the same, only softer. Blackcurrants are primary and a creaminess follows, plus some tobacco. The palate is far more black fruit than the night before, blackcurrant and plumskins, with blackberries. The tobacco influence of only 1% cabernet franc is interesting to me. Tannins are soft and fine. Acidity is not as sharp or bright as night one, but the two together give good balance to the fruit.

This is good wine, well balanced and rather textbook for merlot. It has a little life left in it, but not years. Based upon this two-day tasting, I would say it is a great candidate for short decanting and drinking now or drinking over the next two years.