Wine of the Day: Taylor Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Taylor Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley

What a wildly evocative nose--one that you could easily get lost in, smelling it through dinner and forgetting to eat. It speaks of warm graphite and cedar, a cigar humidor opened on a hot summer day, flowers a day past their prime and grown funky and sweet, and crushed black currants: Majestic and complicated. It tastes of black raspberries, high-cocoa chocolate, vanilla pods, melted black licorice, and espresso. This is a deep, rich, infinitely rewarding wine that shows classic Napa exuberance, Stags Leap District’s approachability at an early stage of evolution coupled with its ageability, and a plush fruit character that demands attention. What’s amazing here is the balance of acid, alcohol, fruit, and tannin: It’s both masculine and feminine at the same time. This could go for another 8 - 10+ years, but why wait? It's absolutely gorgeous.

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Wine Review Wednesday: April 27th

It’s been a while since I’ve posted notes for Wine Review Wednesday, so we’re back today with a number of wines that have really hit their mark lately in my tastings.

Pali Chardonnay “Charm Acres” 2009, Sonoma Coast

Smells like apricot cream and brown butter, like pear and baking spices: Delicate and evocative at the same time. There’s also homemade caramel corn here, as well as baked pear and vanilla, all of which stretch out from the mid-palate through to the finish. Rich, very drinkable, and appealing. Nicely made.

Robert Mondavi Winery Fume Blanc “To Kalon Vineyard I Block,” Oakville

A vivid, beautiful rich gold color presages a nose of buttered popcorn with white grapefruit, cashews, peppermint, and cedar: This is a massively rich, aromatic style, yet still with its feet firmly rooted in the terroir and varietal. With air, flowers come out too, as well as dried pineapple, smoke, and charred earth. On the palate, this small-production white demonstrates amazing concentration without a heavy-handed texture; flavors of sweet citrus, papaya, sun-warmed hay, persimmon, and a touch of honey flash throughout. The oak sweetens it up, especially on the candy corn- and mango-tinged finish, but this is a wonderfully integrated whole with impeccable balance. This is that rare sauvignon blanc that’s easily age-able for another 5 - 6 years, but it’s almost too tempting to not pop open right now. Still, another year or two will really allow all the moving parts to come together even better than they already do. Delicious, soulful, and worth the effort to find it.

Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Oakville

What a beautiful, glass-staining garnet color, even 6 years into its life. The nose shows lots of deep, dark currants, black cherries, licorice, birch bark, and a touch of bonfire. On the palate, this is a plush pleasure to drink, with that licorice, birch bark, smoke, black tea, and dark cherry coming through, and evolving to baseball glove leather, dried brown spices, and menthol on the nicely complicated finish. This is starting to take its turn to a more secondary expression of itself, and it’s wonderful for it. Still, I’d recommend holding it for another 2 - 3 years in order for it to really complete its evolution into a fully mature wine. Excellent.

Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, Napa Valley

Astounding from the first sniff. The nose is wildly expressive yet still gives a full impression of the structure it shows on the palate. It smells of some kind of mythical graphite cream, of crushed wild berries, currants, cedar, licorice, and cherry liqueur. On the palate, its structure for longevity is fully apparent--the tannins sweet and ripe--promising 20 years of life. Smoky plums, grilled berries and cherries, sappy fruit that’s perfectly balanced by acid: The fruit here is addictively sweet, but never devolves into caricature; it’s just exuberant and lush and detailed. On the finish, there’s an almost floral whiff, a beam of minerals running down the spine, these fleshed out with cherries. This is amazing, and nearly irresistible right now, though I’d drink it from 2013 - 2025. One of the best vintages of this wine I’ve tasted in recent memory.

Michael David Winery Old Vines Zinfandel “7 Deadly Zins” 2008, Lodi

A nose of smoky oak and cherry, coupled with licorice root and cream, lead to a palate of sweet vanilla-infused wild-berry creme brulee, lingering sweet spiciness, and wild summer berries flecked with a bit of thyme. Big and packing a punch, it’s a surprisingly lithe wine for all its power. Perfect for barbecue. This is another excellent value from this producer.

Tamas Estates Double Decker Red 2008, Central Coast

Pleasant juicy oak and ripe berry fruit define the nose here, and are softly complicated by big ripe strawberries and vanilla. The palate is consistent with the nose, featuring lots of sweet strawberries, a bit of boysenberry, milk chocolate, and vanilla. Straightforward, gulpable, and a nice wine for when you really just want something to drink. Light and pleasant.

Cecchi Bonizio Sangiovese di Maremma 2009, Toscana

Primary cherry, green olives, and oregano notes--a very nice table-wine style, and a classic expression of Italian sangiovese with its balance of fruit and earthier notes and its vague hint of flowers. The palate is as straightforward and pleasant as the nose, with fresh, food-friendly acid balancing out the ripe fruit (cherry, strawberry) and gentle, subtle wood notes. Fun, and perfect with pizza.

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Napa Valley, Wine Travel, and Your Personal Goals for Winery Visits

There’s a thought-provoking article in today’s New York Times Food Section on the nature of tasting wine in Napa, as well as of the juice itself. Jay McInerney reports that, although “it's the most familiar, most visited wine region in this country, it's also a place where much remains hidden—shrouded, if not in mystery, then by thousands of acres of Cabernet vines.”

The range of experience that visitors can have in any wine region that’s also a popular tourist destination, Napa included, poses a number of fundamental questions about what you want to accomplish with the visit. As with anywhere, it’s possible to bounce from winery to winery, swallowing the pours of each wine you’re offered, and learning little beyond how well your liver can handle the onslaught of juice.

The other experience--and the one that Napa does so well if you make the effort to take advantage of it--is both educational and emotional: Tasting on location, with the people responsible for the various bottlings, can be one of the most illuminating wine experiences you’ll have. The trick is to make sure you avoid the pitfalls of the former and take full advantage of the latter.

With springtime finally here, and vineyard visits looking more appealing than ever after the winter so many of us have slogged through, it’s an important distinction to keep in mind.

Note: Next week, we’ll return with Wine Review Wednesday, and focus on a number of high-end Napa bottlings.

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Wine Review Wednesday: Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Oakville

After skipping Wine Review Wednesday for a couple of weeks, we're back this one with a wine that I'd call absolutely necessary for any collection--or dinner table, for that matter.

Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Oakville

What a beautiful, glass-staining garnet color, even 6 years into its life. The nose shows lots of deep, dark currants, black cherries, licorice, birch bark, and a touch of bonfire. On the palate, it’s a plush pleasure to drink, with that licorice, birch bark, smoke, and dark cherry coming through, joined by black tea. This is starting to take its turn to a more secondary expression of itself, and it’s wonderful for it. Still, I’d recommend holding it for another 2 - 3 years in order for it to really complete its evolution into a fully mature wine. On the finish, baseball glove leather and a hint of dried brown spice and menthol peek through. Complex and fabulous, with plenty of life ahead of it.

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Birthday Wine

Today is my birthday, and I face the same problem I do every year: Which bottles to pop open and celebrate with. I was born in 1977, which means I always have the option of opening a bottle of Port from that legendary vintage. Right about now, the 77s are at their peak, and drinking exactly the way I prefer: Delicate, subtle, complex, and astoundingly long on the finish.

But that’s dessert, with a nice side of cheese. For the rest of the evening--or, let’s be honest here: It’s my birthday, and I plan on starting with lunchtime wine pairings--I’m still not certain what to treat myself to today. Definitely some Champagne--and if there’s ever a day to justify Krug, this is it. Plus, it’ll go brilliantly with whatever I have for lunch.

Then I’ll likely move onto a big California cabernet--it’s raining outside, it’s chilly, and few things are better for the soul on a day like this than a glass or three of dramatic Cali cab. After that, who knows. There are some older bottles in the cellar, but most of them aren’t quite ready. I think my best bet is to pop open a bottle from each of the wine regions I’ve visited in the past year--some Sherry, a bubbly or a pinot from Patagonia, some San Juan malbec followed by a bigger bottle from Mendoza.

Big decisions. Any suggestions?

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Wine Review Wednesday, with a Spirited Addition

Luce della Vite "Lucente" 2007, Toscana

Nice dense concentration to the nose here, with dark cherry fruit buttressed by warm clay and leather aromas: Very appealing as soon as you pour it in the glass. On the palate, however, it needs some air to really show its potential: This is a wine that will age nicely for 5 - 7+ years, and a stint in the glass or the decanter will do it wonders for short-term enjoyment. The fruit here is just as concentrated as the nose implies, but far brighter, lifted by very zippy acidity and a tannic structure that holds great promise for its longevity. There’s a minor floral quality to the palate, with raspberries, pomegranate, cocoa powder, and spice filling it out. Very well-crafted: This is a wine for the cellar, or a great meal right now.

Luce della Vite 2001, Toscana (375ml)

This smells like an Italian version of an excellent, fully-evolved Bordeaux, with more than a passing resemblance to Mouton in its maturity: A nose of mint, leather, tea, and a hint of sandalwood, which turns, on the palate, to a gorgeously aromatic mix of mint, brown spices (cardamom, clove, etc.), leather, and black fruit that nods in the direction of something approaching balsamic in its finely detailed acidity. With some more air, caramelized sugar and hoisin sauce, as well as the delicious, savory flavor of truffles and decay make themselves known: Mysterious and wonderful. The tannins have melted, the fruit is fading yet still retains a distinct identity, and the texture is like dusty silk. Drink this now: With the fruit still hanging on, and the bottle-age characteristics on full display, this is a wine at its peak.

Waterstone Chardonnay 2008, Carneros

Apricot and oak spice define the nose initially here, with a warmth to the aromas that’s appealing off the bat. On the palate, baking spices and something almost yeast-like is balanced by bright acidity and the bitterness of grapefruit and lemon pith, as well as the slightest intimation of warmed honey. A bass-note of pie crust comes through on the mid-palate, too, and lingers on through the finish, which itself is tinged with white cherries and grapefruit. Balanced, and with intriguing details. Drink now - 2 years.

Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley

Inky color, like particularly dark cherry juice. This turns out to be a harbinger of the experience of the wine itself, which smells of dark cherry, licorice, and oak that still needs time to be absorbed and integrated. This doesn’t come off as heavy-handed in any way, however: It’s more a perfume than anything, and a lovely one at that. The palate is where this wine is really appealing right now, with sweet dark cherry and plum fruit, kirsch, dark chocolate, spicy cigar tobacco, and fresh flowers fluttering around the edges. With a bit more air, peppercorn and cedar flavors also come out, and these linger through on the cedar-, tea-, and vanilla-tinged finish. For all its size and the expressivity of the fruit here, this is a wine that promises to evolve for another 10 years. Of course, there’s nothing to prevent opening it right now: It’s drinking beautifully as is.

Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir “Summit” 2008, Monterey (55%) and Santa Barbara County (45%)

There’s a sun-warmed clay note to the nose here, and a roasted quality to the berry fruit that, with some air, diminishes and allows the sweet transparency of the raspberries and cherries to come through, as well as a strain of minerality. The oak is still apparent on the palate, though with some age it will integrate very nicely into the rest of the wine. There are still a number of moving parts here, but I expect they will come together beautifully, the tea, spice, sweet-tart cherry, birch bark, and Dr. Pepper-like cola notes promising a wine of finesse, complexity, and power. Very nice. Drink 1 - 6 years.

Pali Wine Co. Cabernet Sauvignon (Blend) "Highlands" 2007, Napa Valley

Lots of rich red and black fruit on the nose, with standout performances by the blackberry and blueberry notes. These are edged with violets and chocolate: Like some sort of perfect Provençal dessert. Those lush aromas come through on the polished palate, but are here lifted by an unexpected brightness, as well as by a seam of graphite running down the wine’s spine. The mid-palate shows lots of cabernet character, with cedar, a bit of tobacco, and a spicy note that linger through the finish alongside distinct flavors of oolong tea. This, then, is what you hope for from Napa Valley cab-based wines: Concentration, expressive fruit balanced out by minerality, and compulsive drinkability. Excellent structure, and just as nice on its own as it will be with food. Drink now - 5 years. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 6% malbec, 4% cabernet franc, 3% merlot.

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Spirit of the Week: I’ve been tasting more and more spirits lately, and many of them have both charmed and surprised me. I’ll be including a spirit of the week from now on whenever I’ve tasted something I can strongly recommend.

This week it’s a super-premium vodka (actually, Stoli refers to it as an “ultra-luxury vodka”) that actually lives up to its promise: Elit by Stolichnaya. I’m often skeptical of the claims made by the distillers of vodka, but this one, with its silkiness on the palate, its utter lack of rough edges, and its whisper of lemon pith and rind on the nose and hint of sweetness on the palate, is a supremely clean, pure expression of vodka--one I’ve been enjoying on its own, sipped after a big meal. It needs no mixer.

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Wine Review Wednesday: Christmas Week

This week, I’ve ordered the wines as they’d appear in a meal: We start with three sparklers, move on to a lovely Tuscan white and red, head over to the Rhone for a Crozes-Hermitage, continue south to Argentina for a big, juicy red blend, and finish off with a California cabernet that, though drinking very well right now, still has plenty of time left to evolve in the bottle.

Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava

With its appealing light straw color and pinpoint lacing, this has always been a Cava of elegance and excellent value (and, now, a new label). It speaks of bright green apple, citrus, and a hint of nuts, but it’s primarily a fruit-driven bottle. On the finish, a zing of minerality comes through, which, with the mouth-watering acidity and overall crisp character, provides excellent backbone. As always, this is a very good everyday sparkler, refreshing and food-friendly.

La Cave de Die Jaillance Cremant de Bordeaux “Cuvee de l’Abbaye” Brut

What a lovely, bright sparkler: Grapefruit, warmed honey, vanilla creme Anglaise, and something a touch waxy mingle to create a nose that’s both unfamiliar and deeply comforting. The palate explodes with sweet citrus fruit both in the grapefruit and Mandarin orange family, as well as a taut minerality, ginger, and well-balanced acidity that lend this sparkler a sense of seriousness. Let this one sit on the counter for 10 minutes after taking it our of the fridge: When the edge of the chill comes off it, a beautiful bass note of brioche pumps through, leading to a finish rich with that Anglaise from the nose. Very, very well made, and a wonderful option both for New Years or, for that matter, any time you want to treat yourself.

La Cave de Die Jaillance Cuvee Imperiale Clairette de Die

Very intense nose of concentrated honey suckle, orange blossom, and other warm-weather flowers, with and edging of orange oil. It’s sweet and concentrated on the palate, too, with pronounced notes of spice, honeycomb, and candied apple and nuts that follow through to the finish. This is a nice wine for rich cheeses or to ring in the New Year with.

Banfi Centine White 2008, Toscana

There’s an unexpected floral note to the nose here, and aromatic lift that speaks of peaches and orange blossom, and in that way implicitly references summertime. There’s also a hint of something a touch spicy, which itself adds to the wine’s sense of freshness. This blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot grigio is very clean on the palate, with well-balanced acidity that keeps the peach and apricot notes fresh. There’s some apple here too, as well as a hint of something a bit honeyed. Hazelnuts and a touch of nougat sing on the finish, which still remains nicely mouth-watering. What a charming wine, and a serious bottle for the money. Drink now with anything, or with nothing at all.

Banfi Centine Red 2007, Toscana

Lots of red cherries and ripe fraises de bois on the nose of this fabulously food-friendly Tuscan blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot. There’s also a bit of minerality here, as well as cured black Sicilian olives and a hint of dried Mediterranean herbs and chocolate. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine boasts plenty of red and darker berry fruit and ripe cherries, but also touches of coffee grinds and, on the finish, a bit of smoke and leather. Well-made and complex, lovely integrated tannins, and an excellent value. Drink in the next three years.

Cave de Tain Crozes-Hermitage “Les Hauts du Fief” 2006

Such a pretty, accurate nose. Black raspberries, blackberries, asphalt, and something a bit funky, like grinding peppercorns in a barn (in a good way!). With some time, a gentler face starts to show itself, the pepper taking on a more perfumed note and the fruit resolving into a riper, sweeter style. On the palate, this is appealingly elegant, with fully integrated tannins, a silky texture, and subtle fruit that indicates that this is a wine at its peak. There are some tea notes on the finish, as well as a lingering hint of earthiness lending it all a sense of richness underpinning its elegance. Really good stuff.

Kaiken “Corte” Malbec - Bonarda - Petit Verdot 2008, Mendoza

A beautiful, glistening opaque purple color with a center verging on black. The implications of that appearance come through on the nose, which is well-lifted by blackberries, black cherries, smoky plums, and hoisin sauce. There’s also something reminiscent of tarragon in there, perhaps a bit of the cabernet’s freshness poking through. On the palate, the fruit is sweet and ripe, with those cherries taking the lion’s share of attention. Still, this isn’t just a fruit-expressive bottling: Sweet tobacco, black licorice, bonfire, and a touch of birch bark add depth and complexity. Very well-made, and compulsively drinkable. Could go three more years, but there’s no need to wait.

SIMI Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide Vineyard 2007, Alexander Valley

The minerality is the first thing you’ll notice here, a terroir-driven nose that indicates a wine that, year after year, is firmly rooted to this particular patch of land. There’s bright currants and spice there too, though it’s still tightly wound, practically coiled to explode with more time in the bottle. The palate here is remarkably similar to the nose, though there’s a bit more lushness to the fruit than you might expect, more cherries as well as tea and oak spice that still needs some time to integrate fully. All of it is buttressed by tannins that, though attractively sweet, still have 7 - 10 more years of life to give this excellent wine whose future in the cellar is very bright indeed. Drink now with food and a good decanting, or hold onto it for even more pleasure.

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Wine Review Wednesday

SIMI Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Alexander Valley

This shows a surprisingly high-toned nose, with super-ripe and roasted green bell peppers, a passing whiff of wild mint and licorice, and lots of currants. Its youth is apparent on the palate, where it’s still tightly wound and not showing all that it ultimately will. For now, there’s coffee grounds, as well as a creaminess that carries within it intimations of tiny wild strawberries, raspberries, brambly fruit, and wild herbs, with a hint of fennel on the finish. There’s lots of potential here; let it evolve for another 2 or 3 years, and then enjoy it for 4 - 6 after that, when it should really come into its own. The acid and tannins will allow it to age well. Subtle, with great structure.

Quivira Vineyards and Winery Zinfandel 2008, Dry Creek Valley

The nose here explodes with a deep, ripe bowlful of summertime berries: Blackberries, black raspberries, and wonderfully evocative strawberries. There’s some peppercorn spice too, but this wine’s story centers on its density of fruit. All that fruit, in fact, follows through to the palate, where it manifests itself with a sweetness, as well as a hint of cherries reduced with a splash of balsamic, that’s addictive. Lush mouthfeel, with subtly dusty tannins that serve as excellent and successful foils to the glycerin-like slipperiness. This is a wine that manages to be both fun and serious at the same time. Drink now, with barbecue or a burger.

Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2009, St. Helena, Napa Valley

There’s an earthy, almost mushroom-referencing note to the nose here: Unusual, unexpected, and intriguing. With air, this refines itself into fruit in the clementine family, and there’s an almost fresh-herb-and-spun-sugar perfume to it that makes the aroma a lovely analog for summertime, no matter when you’re drinking this. The palate is much more acidic and tightly wound than the nose implies: This is a sauvignon blanc for the cellar. Flavors of slate, lemon, and something lanolin-like linger on the finish, and promise a wine of both serious potential and intense food-pairability. Loire-like in profile; tasted blind, I’d think Sancerre more than Napa. Excellent. 4 - 6 years.

Waterstone Merlot 2007, Napa Valley

Lots of juicy plum and berry aromas jump from the glass here, an almost light-bodied, relatively high-toned mixed-berry composition kicked up with shiso, if such a thing exists. The palate is still tight and not showing much fruit right now beyond a subtle hint of cherry, though in time more cherry, tea, colorado-wrapper cigar, as well as more tarragon and shiso flavors, should express themselves nicely. Restrained style, and a nod in the direction of Napa’s potential for subtler reds. 3 - 7 years.

Cupcake Vineyards Riesling 2009, Columbia Valley

The nose here is defined by its soft peach and orange blossom notes, a summery combination that implies sweetness but doesn’t force the issue. On the palate, those peaches are joined by tart apples, a touch of grapefruit and minerals, and a hint of the kind of petrol note that defines accurate Rieslings all over the place. Pleasant, straightforward, and a nice accompaniment to spicy dishes. Drink now.

Clos du Bois Pinot Noir 2008, North Coast

There’s nice lift to the spicy cherry and kirsch of this wine’s nose, an expressiveness that people who haven’t tasted Clos du Bois lately might not expect. Those cherries follow through to the palate, where they’re joined by mushrooms and a smoky mesquite finish that adds depth and a nice grounding to the fruit. Drinking well right now.

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Wine Review Wednesday (on Thursday): Five Recommended Wines from Around the World

After missing a week of Wine Review Wednesday--I spend last week playing catch-up from having been away the previous 10 days in Argentina; I’ll be posting those tasting notes over the course of the next weeks and months--we’re back today with five recommended wines from all over the world. These represent some of the more notable bottles I’ve tasted recently, are are listed in no particular order.

Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Rutherford, Napa Valley

From the excellent 2007 vintage comes this stellar red by Sequoia Grove. It starts out with a distinct note of smoke on the nose, with back-up roles played by rich, ripe blackberry, plum, coffee grounds, asphalt, and mesquite. The youth of this wine becomes apparent on the palate, which right now is still tightly wound, though the ripe currants are appealing right off the bat. With some air, it really becomes clear what the future holds: Smoky tea, morels, cigars, black cherries, chocolate, and cedar--so much promise. This wine’s spine of acidity, careful balance, and dusty tannins imply 10 - 12+ years of evolution for this masculine, terroir-driven, beautifully crafted Cabernet.

Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Riesling 2009

With it alluring aromas of sweet, taut green apple and melon, as well as a flutter of sun-warmed granite in the background, this wine smells both richly expressive and structured. The impressions is borne out on the palate with almost vibrating acidity and more of that great green apple, and balanced out by flowers and something hinting at honey. This is serious Riesling, yet so easy to drink. I’d love to taste how well this has evolved in 5 - 10 years: It has the stuffing to go that long, though it’s drinking brilliantly right now. Yet another great wine from this historic Australian estate.

Bernhard Huber Spatburgunder Alte Reben 2007, Baden, Germany

This old-vine German Pinot Noir starts off with sexy scents of smoky cherries, sous bois, red-apple skin, and the higher-toned perfume of pine and violets. There’s incredible detail to the nose here, and its tarragon and cherries nod in the direction of Echezeaux. The palate starts off a touch stemmy, but this is going to resolve itself with some age. And anyway, it really lends a lovely brightness to the wine’s deeply concentrated cherry and raspberry fruit. This is a stunner, leaning toward Burgundy on the nose, New Zealand on the palate, and utterly unique (and thoroughly wonderful) in its entirety.

De Loach Pinot Noir 2008, Central Coast “Cool Coastal Vineyards”

Almost transparent in color, which is nice considering all the opaque, inky California Pinot Noirs you see these days. It sends a message right from the start that this wine is simply about expressing the fruit as it was grown in this specific part of the state. The nose shows really pretty, subtly juicy wild strawberry and red cherry notes, as well as raspberry preserves and tarragon hovering in the background. The flavors of this wine are remarkably consistent, though a touch sappier and riper than the nose implies. It’s a more feminine style, with a pretty, lingering sweetness to the cherry fruit. Well made. Drink now.

De Loach Pinot Noir 2008, Sonoma Coast “Cool Coastal Vineyards”

When compared to its Central Coast cousin, this Pinot is deeper, richer, and darker in color, as expected from the Sonoma Coast. The nose, too, is darker and shows more roasted aromas, including smoke, mushroom, charcoal, and dark cherries. The palate, too, is much more masculine, and while it lacks some of the delicacy of the other bottling, it’s winning by virtue of its muscle and smoky persistence. The flavors are almost meaty here, with a touch of Chinese five spice, mushrooms, and licorice. Very nice on its own, and a fascinating comparison when tasted alongside the Central Coast bottling.

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Back from Argentina

This morning, just a few hours ago, I landed in the United States after an overnight flight from Buenos Aires to Washington, D.C., and a quick hop here to Philadelphia. It will take me a few days to collate my notes, edit my videos, and start formulating a plan of attack to report on everything I tasted. For now, however, I will say that, if you have the chance and the time, a visit to Argentina is a must--it's one of the most beautiful, hospitable places I've visited. And even if you don't, make sure to keep on exploring the country's wines. They are without question some of the most enjoyable and exciting in the world right now, and from familiar favorites like Malbec and Torrontes to less-well-known bottlings of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and more, there is a limitless range of wines to learn and love.

I took the photo above while visiting excellent Mendoza producer Dona Paula, and the one below in our tasting room at Lagarde. It was hard work, but the very best--and most rewarding--kind of hard work. I miss it already.

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Wine Review Wednesday: Blackbird Vineyards

Every once in a while, a wine project comes along that makes connoisseurs and collectors snap to attention. We all know the names: Sine Qua Non in California, Maggie Harrison’s Lillian in Oregon (she also owns and makes the wine at Antica Terra), and the like. They’re difficult to find bottlings that, regardless of the effort required to get them, are more than worth it.

Add Blackbird Vineyards to that illustrious company.

Started just a blink-of-an-eye ago in 2003, Blackbird Vineyards has already made its way to the top of the California food chain, and its astounding collection of Pomerol-inspired wines, based on my recent tastings, are among the best in the country.

As is the case with so many of the world’s top performers, Blackbird relies on sustainable farming, noninterventionist vinification, rigorous fruit selection, and a willingness to produce less wine if that means raising its quality and staying true to the vintage.

I recently had the chance to taste the new releases, and was utterly blown away by the wines’ expressiveness right now and potential for evolution in the long term. My notes are below.

Blackbird Vineyards "Arriviste" 2009

The nose is charmingly subtle here, showing restrained notes of strawberry, rhubarb, flowers, spices, and watermelon. Very elegant, as is the palate with its silky mouthfeel and perfectly calibrated acidity adding lift to sweet fruit notes of smaller, riper strawberries, hints of cranberry, watermelon, cherries, and something a touch floral and spicy on the finish, like peppercorn cracked on fraises de bois. This is a subtle, structured rose with enough backbone to age for a season or so but irresistible right now.

Blackbird Vineyards “Arise” 2008

This leads off with a very rich, expressive nose, and though the oak is readily apparent right now, it’s balanced and soft enough to integrate seamlessly in the years to come. Plum and cherry marmalade aromas complicate things, as do violets and a touch of something exotically spicy that reminds me of coriander and peppercorns. Great depth here; I could smell this all day and be happy. The palate, for all its lavish plum and cherry fruit, is remarkably subtle, enhanced with flavors of spicy tobacco, rich chocolate ganache, and coffee, and ending on a gentle whiff of eucalyptus throughout a finish that lasts a full minute. Mesmerizing.

Blackbird Vineyards “Paramour” 2007

The role of the cabernet franc here comes right out and manifests itself in the perfume of cigars, mint, and fresh Provencal herbs that I typically associate with great-vintage Cheval-Blanc. This breed follows through to the palate, with its serious structure that will require time to allow the full potential of this wine to emerge but that even now, this early on its life, pulses with tightly wound sweet dark berry fruit, black cherries, chanterelles, and violets. A wine for the cellar and very special occasions, this is at the far end of what Right Bank-style Napa reds wines can do. It's a serious achievement.

Blackbird Vineyards “Contrarian” 2007

The 2007 Contrarian smells like walking through a forest after the rain as rosemary and mint and black raspberries grow all around you. Wonderfully reminiscent of a young Pomerol on the nose. On the palate, however, this is a bigger, more mouth-filling wine whose oak and other elements need more time to integrate, but whose deep well of dark berry fruit sings through with a masculine sense of purpose. More tannic and reserved than the wines that preceded it, there’s also an aromatic lift and a propulsive power undergirding it all right now. This big, mouth-staining wine promises a very long life ahead.

Blackbird Vineyards “Illustration” 2007

Sweet, clay-flecked red plum, black raspberry, sun-warmed blackberry, white truffle, maduro cigar, and fraise de bois define the nose here, and lead to a palate every bit as complex. Sweet, chewy, chocolate-enrobed fruit, kirsch-filled German chocolate, caramel, and strawberry preserves are balanced by spice, earthiness, and the sort of dusty tannins that make you want to drink more and more. Impossible not to love now, and it should easily evolve for the next decade or two in the bottle.

Blackbird Vineyards “Illustration” 2006

The aromatics here are just so evocative of Pomerol, with warm clay, perfumed mushrooms, and cherries in abundance. If you’ve wandered around Pomerol itself, this is as Proustian an evocation of the smell of the place as you’ll find in California. It’s dense and rich on the palate, with sweet black plum, blueberry compote, chamomile tea, and licorice limning the black cherry fruit. The tannins really make themselves known on the finish, though they certainly don’t cover up the lingering memory of the fruit or the fabulous flutter of demi-glace that develops and then slowly, languorously vanishes. Drink over the next ten years or so.

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UncorkDeals.com Launches

After Friday night's anniversary and launch party at Wine Chateau Piscataway, I just wanted to announce here the official kickoff of UncorkDeals.com. Click the link, sign up, and check out Wine Chateau's newest revolution in buying wine online. Today's wine is a 95-point Napa beauty that offers everything you'd want from one of the top cabernet regions on the planet.

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Wine Review Wednesday (on Thursday): Two Great 2006 Napa Cabs

[Note: I’m posting Wine Review Wednesday a day late this week, as we spent all day yesterday filming the videos for the launch of UncorkDeals.com tomorrow. And remember, if you’re in the area, to stop by Wine Chateau Piscataway for the launch party from 5:00 - 10:00...]

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I recently had the chance to taste the 2006 vintage from two perennial stars of the Napa Valley, and fell in love with both of them. My tasting notes are below.

Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2006, Napa Valley

Classic Napa richness is balanced out here by an amazing amount of potential still being held in reserve: I wanted to keep on going back to the glass and smelling it again--it’s simply intriguing. Deep aromas of crushed purple berry fruit, black and red currants, cream, seared steak, subtle cedar, and Honduran cigar tobacco mingle with minor notes of sappy black cherries and something that reminded me of braised short ribs. There’s lots of sweet, very ripe fruit on the palate, though the tannins, still quite young, should allow even more to shine through once they loosen their grip with some age. Fascinating flavors of chai, cream, black tea, currants, blackberries, spiced blueberry compote, and licorice dance with intimations of thyme and sage. This is still young and needs time to relax into itself, but once it does, it will attain even more complexity and deliciousness. Give it a couple of years in the cellar, and then drink it through 2025. This is lush, pulsing with life, and utterly elegant for all its power.

Rubicon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon “Cask” 2006, Rutherford

A nose of crushed purple berry fruit, fresh plum, mint, a touch of licorice, bonfire, cedar, graphite, and a background note of chamomile tea define this expressive cabernet. Its palate shows both its youth and its agability, with sweet berry, black currant, macerated blackberry and black raspberry fruit, oolong tea, and a driving sense of power. The so-called Rutherford dust is on full display here, as well as fabulous balancing acidity and a finish that leans in the direction of licorice and mint. And despite the fact that this is still holding back a bit, it’s drinking beautifully as is, and will continue to improve and evolve for at least 10+ years. Fabulous.

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Wine Review Wednesday (on Thursday): Chateau Tanunda Cabernet Sauvignon "Noble Baron" 2007

When you mention the Barossa Valley to most consumers, the first wines that come to mind are likely to be the rich, fruit-forward, higher-octane Shiraz that have made the region so beloved around the world. But as anyone who has explored the wines of this great region knows, the Barossa has much more to offer than the Shiraz it typically gets credit for.

Earlier in the year, at a tasting of Australian Cabernets held by the Wine Media Guild, I was both charmed and thoroughly impressed with the wines being poured, and fell head-over-heels in love with one in particular: The Chateau Tanunda Cabernet Sauvignon “Noble Baron.” I recently had a chance to re-taste the 2007 bottling, and was blown away all over again.

The nose starts off with concentrated aromas of licorice, dark cherries, grilled graphite and cedar, a touch of flowers, and the perfume of those old Sen Sen mints that I used to rely on at dances as a teenager. The palate, though, for all the concentration and richness of the nose, is beautifully light on its feet. It still boasts an impressive level of concentration, however, and flavors that range from red currant and brambly fruit all the way to chocolate-covered licorice, warm asphalt, oolong tea, sandalwood, a bit of clove, and a vague hint of eucalyptus. A long finish, impeccable balance, and superbly integrated tannins promise 12+ years of evolution in the bottle.

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Tasting with the Stars, Part 2

I’m always struck by how seriously actors and athletes generally take their wine, and how knowledgeable they tend to be. Every time I’ve had a chance to speak to some boldfaced name or other, and the conversation turns to wine, it generally gets technical rather quickly: Grape yields, oak barrels, flavor profiles, food pairing, and the like seem to be sources of endless fascination.

This trend continued last weekend in Los Angeles as we tasted wine with Emmy nominees and presenters. As a result, we spent a good bit more time with many of the guests than we anticipated: Michael Chiklis, for example, spend somewhere around 20 minutes bouncing between our wines and the amazing cheeses on offer by Point Reyes. Jonathan Pryce, who’s been in everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Glengarry Glen Ross, lives in Provence, and is a serious oenophile with a deep well of knowledge about all things grape-related. Gregory Itzin, 24’s President Logan, couldn’t get enough of our reds--big, concentrated wines appropriate for one of TV’s best villains in recent memory. We also enjoyed glasses with Blair Underwood, Alan Cumming, Seth Green, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and others. (We’ll post the full list, with photos, later in the week.)

And yes, that’s Henry Ian Cusick in the photo above--Desmond, from Lost. He loved the wine, and managed to stay in this dimension the entire time--no flash-sideways at all to interrupt his enjoyment. Thank goodness.

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Wine Review Wednesday: Two Top 2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignons

There are few greater pleasures in life than opening a bottle of wine from a great vintage and having it exceed your expectations. This is frustratingly rare: Too often, the wine media builds up a vintage so much that, by the time consumers have a chance to pop the cork on the wines they’ve been waiting for, the bottles tend to fall somehow short.

But once in a while you come across a confluence of vintage, region or appellation, and producer that results in a truly memorable experience. I've found this with many of the 2005 Stags Leap District Cabernets, and the top 2005s from Bordeaux haven’t disappointed me yet, either.

To this group, I’d like to add the 2007 Napa Cabernets from the best producers, including the two wines featured here today, the 2007 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 Ehlers Estate St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon “1886,” both of which embody exactly why consumers should seek out 2007s from Napa and fill their cellars with them.

The Mount Veeder is beautiful right out of the gate, with round, ripe berry fruit on the nose limned with deep, dark currants, cedar, tobacco, and black cherry creme brulee. On the palate, it’s loaded with ripe black cherry and black and red currants, loads of blackberry, and a bit of blueberry. For all this fruit, however, it’s a rich, detailed wine, with dusty tannins, perfectly balanced acid, and a complicating hint of violets. I’d give it another two years to integrate more fully, but even now it’s got more than enough charm, power, and balance to win you over if you do open a bottle in the short-term, especially with dinner.

The Ehlers Estate, on the other hand, is positively decadent right now, and smells of ripe, concentrated, and magnificently expressive crushed black raspberry, cherry compote, candied cherries, sandalwood, and caramel. All that sweet, beautiful fruit comes through on the palate, too, and is joined by chocolate caramels, grilled rosemary, toast, and acid that is 100% in harmony with the rest of the wine. This Cabernet boasts a life of 12+ years, though I’ve rarely felt tannins so superbly integrated and polished this early in their evolution.

Both of these wines, for all their aging potential, are awfully difficult to resist right now.

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Wine Q & A with Ask.com: How to Taste

It’s time to dive into another burning wine question with Ask.com, and this week, our issue goes right to the heart of our interaction with what’s in the glass. The question, then, is this: “What is the proper ‘routine’ for swirling, smelling, and sipping wine?”

Anyone who’s seen Sideways, or tasted with a wine lover, knows how detailed--and, perhaps, absurd--the tasting routine can seem. The best comparison I’ve ever heard is that it often looks like the taster is auditioning for a Listerine commercial with all the swirling and spitting. The truth, however, is that despite the apparent complexity of it, the tasting routine is actually quite simple. Click here for an excellent video from WineSpectator.com on exactly how to go about it. For a more detailed accounting of the routine, click here for a rundown by the Association of Wine Educators.

So why do we taste wine like this , whereas we typically don’t engage in such activity with, say, beer or cola? The simple answer is that wine is so complex, and possesses so much detail and nuance, that we want to do everything we can to pull out as much information as possible from every glass in order to understand it as well as possible.

It may look silly to some, but if it leads to deriving more pleasure from the wine, then it’s all worth it.

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Wine Review Wednesday: Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006

Jordan, one of the most easily and instantly recognizable of California’s classic producers, has been releasing stellar wine for as long as I’ve been tasting. Longer than that, in fact: As a child in my parents’ house, I have distinct memories of my father uncorking the occasional bottle of Jordan Cab with great care and reverence. This was special occasion wine, after all, meant to be savored and assessed as deeply as it demanded.

All these years later, Jordan is still doing it as well as it always has, and the Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006 is no exception. Aromas of cedar, humidor, graphite, and currents, as well as blueberry and blackberry, rise from the glass. There’s also a note of sandalwood in there, providing a hint of the exotic, the spicy.

For all that aromatic complexity, however, this is still a young wine, and the palate is rather taut at this stage of its evolution. There’s a good bit of berry fruit in there, but right now it's defined by nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, lavender, and mineral flavors, which themselves are softened by a sense of creaminess hovering at the edges. The finish is a bit brambly, and a fleeting intimation of herbes de Provence slowly fades away, adding one last piece to this already complex, exceptionally food-friendly Cabernet that will continue to evolve and reward for at least another 10 years. (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.5% Merlot, 4.5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec)

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Wine Review Wednesday (on Thursday): Taylor Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005

Several months ago, I wrote an article on the 2005 vintage of Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon for John Mariani’s Virtual Gourmet. I tasted a number of excellent wines from that already-legendary vintage for the story, and even among so many great bottlings, the Taylor Family Cabernet stood out for its combination of power, elegance, complexity, and aging potential.

Their 2005 Reserve bottling will not be released until this coming fall, but I recently had the opportunity to taste it, and I’m happy to report that it is even better than the regular Cab--no small achievement given the supremely high quality of that wine.

This one starts out with an explosive nose of dark chocolate, chocolate-covered cherries, kirsch, creme de cassis, and a hint of mint. For all this exuberance, however, it’s also a touch exotic, with sandalwood and licorice and scorched earth bringing something more mysterious to the glass. The palate, on the other hand, is where the wine’s primary fruit shows through brightest, with sweet cherry still dominating despite the emerging notes of tobacco, graphite, and something a touch floral. That floral quality really comes through on the finish, which practically sings with violets, sweet black tea, and minerals.

The Taylor Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 is a perfect example--and embodiment--of what makes Stage Leap District so remarkable even within the Napa Valley as a whole: It’s delicious right now, promises to keep on evolving for at least 10 more years (depending on how you like your older Cabs), precise, exquisitely balanced, and endlessly involving as it gains nuance in the glass.

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Wine Q & A with Ask.com: Red Wine with Steak

Question: Do different types of steak call for different red wines?

Answer: Along with what is the meaning of life? and does the tooth fairy really exist?, this is one of the great mysteries of the world--a question as deeply and inextricably linked to the human condition as taxes and awkward-teenage moments at middle-school dances. And just like those other ponderables of its ilk, this question is both more difficult to answer and far simpler than it initially appears.

First, then, the more complex of the two answers: Yes, different steaks call for different red wines. As we’ve addressed here before, cooking method has a significant impact on the kind of wine that will pair best with a particular dish. Grilled steak, for example, with its smoky notes and charred exterior, will respond better to a Cabernet Sauvignon, say, than a classic chicken-fried steak will, which, in my experience, is more suited to some sort of pink sparkler, like a great rosé Champagne.

But beyond that, there is also the question of the cut of the cow that you’re dealing with, as well as the way in which the animal itself was raised. Fattier steaks require heartier, more tannic reds to cut through all that richness, whereas leaner ones, like, say, a filet mignon, can easily be overwhelmed by big reds, and tend to do better when paired with gentler wines--I like a nice Pinot with filet, for example.

As far as the nature of the animal itself, much has been made lately about the differences in flavor and, indeed, morality, between grass-fed and corn-fed cows. We won’t get into the issues of ethics here, but the flavors and textures are certainly different. Personally, I prefer the more pronounced mineral tang of grass-fed steaks to their sweeter corn-fed counterparts, but, like all matters of taste, this is a personal decision. For more on this, take a look right here at a very good video that Wine Spectator posted a while back on this very subject.

Finally, to get to the second (and simpler) answer to our original question, it is, as always, this: Drink what you want with your food, even if it breaks to so-called rules. So: Big juicy Chardonnay with your steak? Go for it! If it brings you pleasure, then it’s a perfectly wonderful pairing.

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