December 2010 Archives

The Snowden Ranch Cabernet 2008 is a challenging wine. I want to love this wine, and the 2008 is very good. But it isn't the 2007, which was perhaps one of the finest California Cabs at a reasonable price. But this is about the 2008 not the 2007, so on with that!

It's got good fruit on the nose, currants, dark fruits, almost a Cab Franc darkness (not surprising - they do Cab Franc). It's dark purple, absolutely opaque. The fruit on the palate is terrific blackberry, sweet tannins, a tiny bit of oak, excellent balance, but not complex at all. It's simple wine, but tasty, sweet, fruit forward, well balanced, and nice.

Regardless of the terrific wine that's in this bottle, I pine for the 2007 vintage. Amazing wines, Parker called it as a fabulous winery, fabulous vineyard, in and excellent location in the Napa Valley. Snowden says this wine should be drunk young, and I agree. About $40.

Snowden's page: http://www.snowdenvineyards.com/ourWines-lv.htm

CellarTracker: http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=944052

Good California Cab from a stellar vintage. Rich nose, black fruit. Very sweet fruit on the palate, black cherry, blackberry, cassis. The oak is there, tannins well integrated, terrific balance, nothing out of place. It's a bit less complex than some other California cabs. Very enjoyable way to have fruit from vineyards that have contributed to other well-known Oakville Cabs prior to their beginning their own winemaking. About $70.

On their history "As a component of the original To Kalon Vineyard wines, the Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet and Opus One wines, fruit from the Detert vineyard site has been a component of the valley's most prestigious cuvees since the history of winegrowing in Napa Valley began."

Vineyard site: http://www.detert.com/index.html

Release notes: http://www.detert.com/wines/index.html

 

Deep, dark opaque purple. Backberries, cassis, dark fruits. Herbs. Old world, but plenty of fruit. Nice body, tannins pretty present, lots of wood influence. Good Tuscan cab, but other years might be better. Or a few more years might be needed. About $70 at The Wine House. The closing wine for the tasting.

The Wine House has a terrific Italian selection, and the sommelier, Matt, knows the Italian portfolio inside and out.

Earthy, minerality, rustic, leathery, probably awesome with steak, but it also went well with goat chees. It was a mid-weight Tuscan wine. Dark berries were there. Good acidity. About $60 locally.

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Very interesting bottle of wine - mostly Carignan which is pretty uncommon as a primary wine, usually smaller percentages as a blending grape. It was a deep, dark purple, had dried fruit, figs, plum and more on the nose, cooking herbs, nicely balanced, lots of dark fruit. It was medium weight, and went well with charcuterie. About $50.

Opaque, purple, lots of tobacco, spice box, cigar humidor, and then the taste is sweet, dark red berries, licorice. It spends a year in older Sassacaia barrels I understand. Maybe some declassified Sassacaia as well according to a Sommelier I know. Very enjoyable wine, particularly if you like tobacco in your wines. I was surprised by it since there isn't any Sangiovese in it. About $55.

Super Tuscan, darker thant the first, mint and tobacco on the nose. The taste is bright cherry, menthol, and tobacco. It's a mid-weight wine, 90% Sangiovese. About $35. I'm not a big Italian fan, but I would buy it again.

Nice opening Italian. Gorgeous, translucent cherry red. Mint, red berry. On the palate was mine, nice spicy pepper, red fruit, light bodied. Terrific with sausage, would go well with red sauces and pasta, or a nice tortellini. A blend of Sangiovese, Cab, and Merlot. About $20.

I've been busy, enjoying family and friends, working, some travel, and have neglected wine notes. So I'll try to catch up with some tonight. First up, an Italian tasting from November 11 at The Wine House. Fabulous Italian wines from Umbria, Tuscany, and Sardenia.