Chateau Cambon la Pelouse 2003

Chateau Cambon la Pelouse 2003

Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Retail $20

The Wooden Guys would give it two thumbs up, if they had thumbs.

Night One

Like several for the moderately-priced bottles of '03 Bordeaux I have opened recently, this is coming to life, perhaps even peaking now. A year ago it was dead, but now it is showing a pleasant balance of fruit, blackberry and some raspberry, and more aged flavors of violets and cigar box. Tannins are soft and smooth. This has matured into a very pleasant bottle of wine at a bargain price, drinking at its peak right now. highly recommended as a bargain introduction to a great year for Bordeaux.

Night Two

A lot of the fruit is gone. Some minerality is showing through. Overall, though, it lacks the complexity of Night One. This is not a wine to hold a lot longer. Drink it now and enjoy it.

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2006 Waters Crest Cabernet Sauvignon

Type: Red
Producer: Waters Crest
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: USA
Region: New York
SubRegion: Long Island
Appellation: North Fork
Price: Suggested retail $39.99
Disclosure: This was received as an unsolicited free sample.

Sorry folks, no picture. I actually drank this on April 24, and the Wooden Guys consider Arbor Day a national holiday. They drank the wine, sure, but refused to write a review. They said it was their day off.

Night One

This has an interesting nose, a really strong French Syrah funk. After a few minutes the funk settles down a little bit, enough to get to the other aromas. It is very rich, starting with finely ground espresso and pure unsweetened chocolate. Blackcurrants and blackberrries show up late, way behind the darker aromas.

This is very young and tight, quite tannic. Lots of acid, sour cherry and blueberry on the attack. Some coffee appears on the mid-palate, followed by chocolate. The finish is long and tart.

Night Two

The nose is a little lighter on Night Two, more black fruit, less funk. Now blackcurrants, blackberries and tomato leaf make up the nose.

The palate is still tight, though not so tight as on Night One. Blackberry is the primary fruit on the attack, plus some tobacco leaf. Blackcurrant and plum skins, followed by a very light touch of vanilla and fresh roasted coffee beans, make up the mid-palate. Tannins and acid are both strong but balance each other out well. This has real promise as it all integrates with time in the cellar.





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2006 Viña Ventisquero Cabernet Sauvignon Root:1

Type: Red
Producer: Viña Ventisquero
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation: Root:1 [The Original Ungrafted]
Country: Chile
Region: Central Valley
SubRegion: Rapel Valley
Appellation: Colchagua Valley





Night One

The nose opens with blackcurants and blackberries, but has several underlying aromas, and they are not all pleasant. On the up-side, there is some birch root and some cardamom. On the down-side, though, there is a slight smell of old bell peppers sauteed too long in rancid butter.

There is no mistaking this for anything but an under-$20 South American cabernet. If you don't know what I mean by that, find a green pepper, cut the top off and scrape out the insides, bake it in a hot overn for five minutes, let cool. While it's cooling, go to the grocery store and find a California Cab, not Napa, not Sonoma, "CALIFORNIA." Bring it home and pour it into the cooked green pepper. Drink.

Or don't.

Blackberries and blackcurrants (in green pepper) are on the attack. Vanilla and sour plums (in green pepper) are on the mid-palate. Tannins are dusty, the finish cloying.

Can you tell I'm not loving this?

Night Two

The nose opens far more favorably on Night Two. It starts with black fruit- blackcurrants and blackberries, plus some tobacco leaf and, at the end of a deep whiff, some menthol.

Black fruit starts the attack, but with a background of green pepper. On the mid-palate there is some mocha, followed by a bit of vanilla and brown sugar. The finish falls off fairly quickly.





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2005 Rued Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

Type Red
Producer Rued
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Sonoma County
Appellation Dry Creek Valley
Suggested Retail $45
Disclosure This was received as an unsolicited free sample.



The Big Wooden Guy likes wine made with a delicate hand and an eye toward a long rest in the cellar.

Night One

The nose is interesting, more muted than the typical California Cab, but still fruity. The fruits up front are raisins and dried cherries, but there is also eucalyptus and menthol.

Fruit on the initial attack is more tart than the nose, starting with sour wild cherries and wild strawberries. There is some blackcurrant hiding under the red fruit. Eucalyptus and menthol are on the mid-palate. Acid and tannins are strong, even aggressive, though not harsh. This is truly a candidate for softening between Night One and Night Two.

Night Two

The nose changed a lot from Night One to Night Two, as I expected. The fruit is darker, but still rich, with raisins, prunes, and some blackcurrant. There is also a distinct aroma of caramel, but in the background, along with tobacco. Is this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, or is there some Cabernet Franc in the mix? It also has a bit of black pepper.

The palate, too, has changed since Night One. The mouth-feel is more full, the attack richer and darker. There is still a little red fruit, but it is all Bing and black berry. The rest is black fruit, raisins and blackcurrant, moving to blackberry and black pepper on the mid-palate. The mid-palate also has cedar and tobacco, true "cigar box" flavors. Acids are a bit less aggressive, but tannins remain fresh-leather-firm.

Night Three

Once in a while, a wine calls for a third-night tasting,as it unwinds a little from Night One to Night Two, but seems to have more to offer. This was one of them, and a third night paid off.

Blackberries and raisins opened the nose, followed by brambles, a touch of tobacco and eucalyptus.

The initial attack was made up of blackberries, dried blueberries, and lots of black pepper. Cedar and light touches of vanilla appears on the mid-palate. Tannins were smooth, a bit more integrated than Nights One and Two. The finish was long.

This is good wine, far more reminiscent of a balanced Bordeaux, or a good 70's California Cab, than so much of what is coming out of the Golden State today. It is also very young. The improvement from Night One through Night Three is a great hint (but no guarantee) that it will get better with several years sleeping in the cellar.






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2002 Dowie Doole Cabernet Sauvignon

Type Red
Producer Dowie Doole
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation n/a
Vineyard n/a
Country Australia
Region South Australia
SubRegion Fleurieu
Appellation McLaren Vale
Price $13.00



The Little Wooden Guy just gets warm fuzzy feelings for an under $15 dollar Cabernet that tastes like Cabernet, not oak juice.

Night One

The nose tells you right up front this is a warm weather wine, but after that nothing is obvious. This is a very deep dark nose. Imagine dark chocolate covered blackberries a elderberries, lightly dusted with espresso. There is also a touch of fennel.

Okay, that's startling. This is incredibly dark. It is deep with elderberry, but the berries, not sweet jam. It has loads of tobacco, burnt coffee grounds and unsweetened chocolate. Some plums join the show on the mid-palate, but it does not really show big changes there. This is wound pretty tight. It should be interesting to see what happens to it on Night Two.

Night Two

On Night Two the nose is a bit more classic Cabernet. It opens with blackcurrant, eucalyptus and some sage.

The palate has changed, too. Blackcurrant and elderberry, now a bit more jammy than on Night One but not a fruit bomb by any measure, open the attack. Now there is a definite mid-palate, presenting chocolate, smoked meat and eucalyptus. Plum skins show up just as it moves to the finish. The mouth-feel is smooth and silky.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a $13 Cabernet Sauvignon. If you have been reading for a while, you know I usually just skip low-priced Cabs, preferring to spend $20 or under on other varietals that show better in the lower price range. However, at $13 this is a steal.





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2005 Montoya Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Owned Montoya Vineyards

Type Red
Producer Montoya Vineyards
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation Proprietor Owned
Vineyard Montoya Vineyards
Country USA
Region California
SubRegion Napa Valley
Appellation Napa Valley
Price $13



If The Big Wooden Guy had thumbs, he would be giving a "thumbs up" to an under $15 drinkable Napa Cabernet.

Night One

This has currant, but it is an underlying aroma. The predominate aroma is vegetal, plus some green olive, along with enough black pepper to make you think "grenache."

The palate is fairly simple and harsh. It is sweet-fruit forward, mostly plum and some blueberry. It has some of the same vegetal tastes as the nose. The same vegetation, plus some green pepper, makes up the mid-plate. The finish is short and metallic. Tannins are harsh.

This is not great wine. It is also a $13 Napa Cabernet. This raises a question I have asked several times before, why drink low-priced mediocre Cabernet when there are so many other good wines in the same price range? But who knows, it might be a lot better on Night Two.

Night Two

What a difference a night makes! The harsh vegetation and overpowering pepper is gone from the nose. Now it has a more classic Cabernet, with blackcurrant, a little coffee and chocolate, and plums.

The fruit is far softer on the palate, too. It opens with a lot of plum and mulberry. Some eucalyptus appears for a moment as it shifts to the mid-palate, before the typical maple and brown sugar of moderately-priced Cali Cabs takes over. The finish is mid-length. Tannins are surprisingly smooth and sweet.

This is a THIRTEEN DOLLAR Napa Valley Cabernet. Is it great? Nope. Is it good? No, not really. Is it competent, and competitive with Cabernets at twice the price? Yup. Absolutely. Give this several hours to breath and you will have a drinkable $13 Napa Cab. How can that be a bad thing?





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1997 Massa Vecchia La Fonte di Pietrarsa Maremma Toscana IGT

Vintage 1997
Type Red
Producer Massa Vecchia
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation La Fonte di Pietrarsa
Country Italy
Region Tuscany
SubRegion Maremma
Appellation Maremma Toscana IGT
Price $46.99



The Little Wooden Guy likes older Cabernets.

Night One

The color shows the age of the wine. It is brick red with the first hints of orange at the edges. The nose is classic older Cabernet, leading with florals, nuts and tarragon, rather than big fruit. Some plums were behind all of that, but did not dominate at all. The palate, too, is far more floral than fruity.

Violets take the lead on the palate, followed by tarragon and a touch of mushroom. Leather and grilled meat join the prior flavors, rather than replacing them, on the mid-palate. The finish is long, tannins are smooth and no longer predominate. This seems to be near the end of its life, perhaps just a bit over its peak. I will be interested to see how it fares on Night Two.

Night Two

The wine drank almost exactly the same as on Night One, except it was even better knit-together. It was wonderful and is clearly peaking right now. It am thrilled I have three more bottles, and will drink them over the next few months.





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2006 Charles Smith Cabernet Sauvignon Chateau Smith

Vintage: 2006
Type: Red
Producer: Charles Smith
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation: Chateau Smith
Country: USA
Region: Washington
SubRegion: Columbia Valley
Appellation: Columbia Valley
Price: $20.99



The Little Wooden Guy says "temper your enthusiasm." Yes, it's Cabernet for less than $20, and it is not an oak and vanilla brown sugar mess. On the other hand, and he really hates to say this because it is not bad wine, it is also just not particularly special. Sure, it is hard to find decent Cabernet at the this price point, but there are so many other good wines out there that deliver a bigger bang for the buck. Perhaps the thing to do, or at least this is how the Little Wooden Guy feels, the thing to do is save Cabernet for a splurge, and buy Syrah, or Shiraz, or a good Rhone blend, or something from South Africa, or South America, or any of a thousand other options, when you're looking for an under $20 wine.

Night One

The nose is light. The first thing you notice is what is not there, rather than what is. This is an under-$20 Cabernet that does not reek of oak and vanilla. Instead, fruit is front and center. The fruit is not overpowering or jammy. Instead, it is light and clean. Blackcurrants and blackberries are joined by some eucalyptus.

The palate is also fruit-driven, but not jammy. Blackcurrant, blackberry and elderberry open the attack. it is joined by light notes of eucalyptus and peppermint. The finish is a little short.

Night Two

The nose remains light on Night Two. There are just hints of fruit.

The palate is fruity, sweeter than on Night One. Blueberry, rather than blackberry, is dominant, with a secondary flavor of blackberries. Cedar makes an appearance on the mid-palate. There is also a tiny hint, half a drop at the most, of vanilla. The finish is mid-length and sweet. Tannins are smooth and balanced by some acidity, but not quite enough to balance out the sweet fruit.





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2005 Sylvester Cabernet Sauvignon Kiara Private Reserve

Type: Red
Producer: Sylvester
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation: Kiara Private Reserve
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Central Coast
Appellation: Paso Robles
Price: $16.98



The Little Wooden Guy appreciates an under-$20 California Cabernet with something other than OAK!!! to offer. For some reason, he takes the over-use of wood personally.

Night One

The nose opens strong, with several layers. The initial attack starts with blackcurrants with a background of cedar and sage. A slightly bitter nutty smell follows, best described as pecan shells, and it is all over a faint sweet floral background.

Blackcurrants are the primary fruit on the palate as well, but there are nuts and some flowers there as well, almonds and lilac. The mid-palate is tart, like lemon/lime suddenly poured over the fruit, nuts and flowers. Mouth feel was this and the finish short.

Night Two

The nose is less interesting but more classically Cabernet Sauvignon on Night Two, mostly blackcurrant, with some eucalyptus and a slight floral background.

The palate is more classic as well. The fruit is blackcurrant and elderberry, followed by cedar and maple, then a tarter finish with some plum skins. Tannins are very fine. The oak made a bigger appearance on Night Two, showing up in the cedar and maple.

Overall, and for the price, this was pretty good. Mouth feel was thin, but at least on Night One it avoided the over-oaked tendencies of so many California Cabs in this price range.

2003 Zonte's Footstep Cabernet-Malbec

Type: Red
Producer: Zonte's Footstep
Variety: Red Blend
Designation: Cabernet-Malbec
Country: Australia
Region: South Australia
SubRegion: Fleurieu
Appellation: Langhorne Creek
Purchased from: Wines 'Til Sold Out for $12.00



The Little Wooden Guy has mixed feelings about this one. It was very good for the price on Night One, but it shows real over-use of oak on Night Two, and as you know, he takes the unnecessary use of wood personally.


Night One

The appearance is slightly cloudy, ruby-colored at the edges, very dark in the middle.

Oh gosh, that's an interesting nose. It opens with some good earthy funk, but very quickly big dark fruits blast through it, first cassis, and then blueberry compote. A little smoked meat and black pepper round out the nose.

The palate opens with the Cabernet and closes with the Malbec. The attack opens with blackcurrant and blackberries. On the mid-palate it begins to morph into Malbec, adding bloody meat, pepper, and black cherry, then finishing with sweet milk chocolate. Tannins are firm, still drying, and I expect some positive changes from Night One to Night Two.

Night Two

The nose is far simpler than on Night One, offering up just vanilla and blueberry compote. Not promising.

The palate verifies the nose. This just collapsed between Night One and Night Two. All that is left now is a brown sugar and maple oak-infused mess.

Well that was disappointing. It was really interesting, and good, on Night One. Then, ... nothing. Drink this one on Night One. It is actually pretty good up front. But don't let it linger, and don't count on any improvement in the cellar.

2003 St. Francis Cabernet Sauvignon

Type: Red
Producer: St. Francis
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Sonoma County
Appellation: Sonoma County
Price: $18.98 in Indianapolis



The Little Wooden Guy is not impressed.

Night One

The nose is very jammy with mulberry and black cherry, plus vanilla and cedar from the obvious use of new oak.

The palate is sharper than the nose, more acidic, leading with blackberries, tart plum skins, and nettles. The tartness disappears quickly, turning to dark fruit, mulberry and black cherry. Chocolate makes surprise appearance on the mid-palate. Cigar box, vanilla and plum skins make the finish. It is thick with glycerin, tannins are very fine and soft, adding a feeling of suede drying the cheeks.

A few hours later and this has changed completely. The attack is milder and has far more minerality. The finish is completely different, leaving the exact same lingering taste as fresh coconut milk. You know the kind, where the guy with the machete chops off the top and hands you a straw? Yeah, that.

Night Two

The nose is far more classically Cabernet Sauvignon on Night Two. Blackcurrant is the lead aroma, with a background of some crushed-stone minerality. it is far more subdued than on Night One.

On the palate, oily glycerin makes for a very soft mouth feel. The fruit is also very soft, and very black- blackcurrant, mulberry, and then some more mulberry. The mid-palate gets sweet, devolving into the brown sugar and maple so typical of Cali Cabs of late. If you don't know the taste, or want to explore it, go buy yourself a box of Life Cereal, Brown Sugar and Maple Flavor, and you will have it, on the nose.

Conclusion

An under-$20 Cali Cab is a real crap-shoot. This one was good enough on Night One to be a "buy" for the dollar, but drink it all up on Night One, and don't buy cases of it to cellar. This is a drink now, or at least a drink soon, wine.

2004 Viña Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Medalla Real Reserva Especial Single Estate

Type: Red
Producer: Viña Santa Rita
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation: Medalla Real Reserva Especial Single Estate
Country: Chile
Region: Central Valley
SubRegion: Maipo Valley
Price: $15.99



RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!

Me: "Oh, this is terrible. Do you want to try it?"

Wife: "Sure. ... OH DAMN! WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO ME?!?"

Me: "I told you it was terrible."

Wife: "You didn't say how terrible. Somebody had a bad day at work and pissed in the vat. That's what this tastes like."

Me: "But I warned you it was terrible. You wanted to try it."

Wife: "No, you just said 'terrible.' You didn't say 'this is really really awful, and you don't want to taste it.' You just said 'terrible,' and with you that can mean a little too sweet, not this vile brew."

Me: "But honey, sweetheart, I did say it was terrible."

Wife: "You'll pay for this, you bastard. Maybe not tonight, or even tomorrow, but you'll pay. I promise."

Me: "But sweetheart, I did say ... Oh, never mind. Sorry honey."

Wife: "You will be."

The Litle Wooden Guy didn't like it either.

Humanitas Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2006

Type- Red
Producer- Humanitas
Variety- Cabernet Sauvignon
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Central Coast
Appellation- Paso Robles
Alcohol- 13.8%



I received this as a free sample from Humanitas Wines, as part of Twitter Taste Live.

Night One

Toast and hazelnuts open the nose. Black fruit appears once you get all the way into the glass, along with some vanilla.

On the palate, the fruit is very jammy up front, full of plums and blackberries. That is followed almost immediately with chocolate, a lot of chocolate. Tannins are fine and dusty. It sweetens significantly on the mid-palate. It turns to brown sugar and vanilla, clear evidence of a lot of oak. Is it too much oak? Let's give it a second night before we decide.

Night Two

The nose changed completely from Night One to Night Two. Now it showed blackcurrant, eucalyptus and a little cinnamon.

The palate was different too. There was still plenty of dark fruit, blackberry, plum skins, and a little blueberry. The chocolate was still there, too, milk chocolate. Tannins were very fine and added leather to the mid-length finish.

This was a nice bottle of wine. It was not, on Night Two, overpoweringly sweet and sugary. With significant decanting, or even better some years in the cellar, this promises to be a nice wine.

2004 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Type- Red
Producer- Rodney Strong
Variety- Cabernet Sauvignon
Designation- Reserve
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Sonoma County
Appellation- Sonoma County
Alcohol- 14.3%



The Wooden Guys tried this Rodney Strong Reserve the night after they had Rodney Strong's new Rockaway single vineyard release. The comparison was interesting. I suspect the Reserve from '04 grew up to be Rockaway the next year, at twice the price.

Night One

The first obvious thing to note about the bottle is its size and weight. It is unusually heavy and has very thick neck. The bottle, empty, weighed in at 871 grams, about halfway between a normal bottle and the Rockaway mega-bottle. The cork is natural, and of normal size and length, shorter than the one in the Rockaway.

The nose is a little hot (not a surprise at 14.3% REPORTED alcohol, which allows up to 15.3% alcohol) and a little closed. There is some blackcurrant and vanilla. It should open a lot more overnight.

The palate offers very sweet dark fruit and sweet smooth tannins. The fruit is blackcurrant, very ripe blackberry and just a hint of black cherry. Cedar and vanilla show up on the mid-palate. The finish is sweet and long, tannins smooth but leathery.

The tannins provide a good backbone and the nose was closed. I would not be surprised to see big changes on Night Two.

Night Two

The nose and palate are similar to the Rockaway, though not quite so complex. The nose had plenty of dark fruit, blackcurant and plums. there was also some spicy cedar and vanilla.

On the palate, just like the Rockaway, it opened with black fruit, moved toward very sweet brown sugar and vanilla on the mid-palate, ending with clying borwn sugar sweetness. Tannins were smooth and sweet.

Like the Rockaway before it, I expect this will improve as the fruit and wood settle down a bit. Still, it is very sweet and oaky, lacking in terroir and complexity. this is a very personal point of view from somebody who prefers more classic Bordeaux to modern heavily worked Cali Cabs.

Rockaway

Vintage- 2005
Type- Red
Producer- Rodney Strong
Variety- 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 4% Petite Verdot
Vineyard- Rockaway
Country- USA
Region- California
SubRegion- Sonoma County
Appellation- Alexander Valley
Alcohol 15.4%



The Big Wooden Guy's first impression of this wine has to do with the weight of the bottle. It weighs a ton. Well, actually, it weighs 2 pounds, 3.8 ounces (1.015 kilograms), EMPTY! For comparison, the bottle for 1998 Sociando Mallet weighs 1 pound 4.7 ounces (0.58 kilograms). Add that it was sent to me (for free, a sample, full disclosure here) in Styrofoam packing, and this thing is a carbon footprint nightmare. There is a paper label on the back containing all the legally required information. The front, though, lacks a label. Instead it is simply embossed "ROCKAWAY," with an embossed vineyard running all the way around the bottle. Everything about the bottle says "TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!"

Night One

The color is very deep dark garnet almost all the way to the edge, where it finally gives way to about an 1/8" of bright ruby.

The nose is rich and jammy, filled with dark fruit. It is mostly blackcurrant and plum, with some blackberries and eucalyptus at the back end of a big sniff. After an hour of so open a fleeting glimpse of espresso played hide-and-seek amid the fruit.

This was just as dark on the palate, very jammy and sweet. Blackcurrants and mulberry, along with some meaty smokiness opened the attack. Cedar and vanilla made their first appearance on the mid-palate, which quickly evolved to vanilla and brown sugar on toast. The sugar is cloying, the finish long but too sweet, all brown sugar and maple syrup.

Five hours it changed some. Tannins started to appear as the jammy fruit settled down a bit. There was more blackberry, less mulberry and blackcurrant, with a strong smooth leathery tannin backbone. There was a quick vegetal hint in the mid-palate. The finish, though, is still dominated by vanilla, brown sugar and maple.

Night Two

The nose seems to have settled down quite a lot. There is still plenty of fruit but it is balanced by some earth. There is also some licorice and a bit of mixed eucalyptus and menthol.

The wine settled down a great deal on the palate, too. There are still plenty of big flavors, blackberries and plums, but Night Two brings more nuance and more layers. The attack has blackberries and plums, plus licorice and a little spice. The mid-palate is greatly expanded, bringing unsweetened chocolate, cherries, and toasted almond skins. Tannins are smooth and fine, but pronounced. There is plenty of backbone to this, enough to give a few years, at the least, in the cellar.

This is a great big modern wine, very ripe and fruity, very powerful. It is not really my personal style. I prefer a bit more subtlety. That said, this has the potential to be good after several years in the cellar to settle down and integrate. $80 is a good chunk of change to spend on potential. Unfortunately, that is actually below the going rate for similar California Cabs.

2003 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide

Type: Red
Producer: Simi
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: Landslide
Country: USA
Region: California
SubRegion: Sonoma County
Appellation: Alexander Valley
14.1% alcohol
$26.99 Costco in Indianapolis, Indiana



The Little Wooden Guy is mixed on this one. On one hand, it's pretty much exactly what you would expect from a California Cab, even slightly interesting. On the other hand, at $26 a bottle, why bother?

Night One

Color was surprisingly light for Cabernet, bright ruby but slightly translucent.

The nose was a little hot (no surprise, with more than 14% alcohol. It was also bright and fruity, a mix of black and red fruits, cherries and plums, plus a little vanilla. It differed from most $30 California Cabernets by not having just loads and loads of prototypical blackcurrant.

The palate opens with cherries and blackberries. There is really no mid-palate. Acidity is bright and tannins are soft and leathery, like fine-cut suede. Finish is long.

Night Two

Now, after a night of rest, the nose disappoints, with bloated fruit and extravagant wood. The smell is all cherry pie filling, vanilla and cedar. The palate, too, is big and bloated, with pie filling, pie crust, brown sugar and cedar. There is no mid-palate at all.

This is a very commercial Cabernet, big fruit, big wood, big disappointment. It is a style that appeals to a lot of people (and grocery store buyers). I am just not the target audience.

Cruising the Caribbean and drinking wine

I took the wife and kidlets on a seven day cruise of the Western Caribbean last week. Lots of stops of T-shirts and shells, and endless buffet of mediocre food, great service and food that didn't match for dinner, and a genuinely boring wine list. But wait, I brought some of my own wine. Or at least, I tried. The ship was out of Miami. My mom lives in Miami. I sent her boyfriend a list of wines to buy and his wine ***SUPERSTORE*** did not have a single one out of a dozen or more. Rest assured, the wine guy said, here are some bottles that he'll LOOOOVE, if he liked those. Let's see how that worked out, shall we?

I suggested Chateau Branaire-Ducru 1999. They didn't have it. Their substitute?

Arthurs, Cotes de Castillon 2004

Grand vin de Bordeaux
13% alc

Night One

The nose was green, herbaceous & hot, hiding a tiny little bit of black fruit & blueberries. The overall smell was of unripe wine, stems & leaves. It did not improve on the palate, which was all green, stems & leaves. There was a little black fruit. Very dry leathery tannins overpowered everything else.

Night Two

Blackcurrants & blackberries lead the nose, which has far more fruit and less green on nt 2. It seems hot & makes me wonder about the alcohol level. The palate was less green, showing blackberry and a touch of sage, but it ends with very strong overpowering tannins that dry out the mouth and leave little but leather & plum skins.

I suggested Groom Shiraz 2004. They didn't have it. The substitute?

Thorn Clarke Terra-Barossa Shiraz 2006

This was pretty good stuff.

Night One

The nose was very powerful, but not merely a fruit bomb. It brought coffee & black pepper, and blackberries. The palate brought blackberries & pepper, some coffee, softening on the mid-palate to more mild plums & black cherries. It had a long finish & fine sweet tannins, slightly drying, promising plenty more life in the cellar.

Night Two

The nose was blackberries & black pepper, with some black cherry. The palate was blueberry & black cherry, and sweet tannins. The mid-palate evolved to vanilla, cedar & cream. It was very creamy & soft. Fruity but not a fruit bomb. It had a long tooth-coating finish. Very good.

I went to a wine tasting on board the ship. It was a special tasting set up for frequent cruisers (my mother cruises all the time an gave me her tickets). I was a bit surprised to see just how they low-balled the wine selection for their best customers. It was also very fast, lacking sufficient time to really explore the wines, or to take very good notes.

First up was Caliterras Sauvignon Blanc, '07

The color was very light, an almost clear gold. The nose brought lemon zest, pink grapefruit & ginger. The ginger was not overpowering but was very evident. As soon as I mentioned it everybody at the table nodded their heads, as if it was the smell they were trying to put their fingers on. The initial attack was grapefruit and grass. Th ginger from the nose showed up clearly on the mid-palate. The finish was medium length. The mouth feel was slightly oily, and the overall impression a little fat.

Second up was Stone Cellars Chardonnay, '07

The color was pale straw. The nose was pure caramel apple. The same apples and caramel showed up on attack, along with some lemon zest. The apple-taste changed a bit on the mid-palate, moving from fresh apples to baked apples, vanilla & brown sugar. The vanilla seemed to just get stronger and stronger throughout, the wood eventually taking over. The overall impression was very fat and woody.

Third up was, by far, the most interesting wine in the tasting, Footprint Syrah '07.

I have never smelled such obvious coffee-grounds in a bottle of wine. The coffee was just screamingly obvious, along with some black pepper and blackberry. Very interesting. The coffee was there on the attack, too, along with unsweetened chocolate, burned rubber & blackberries. The tasting was ripping right along, but this is worth a follow-up with some more time to explore.

Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon '06

Initially, the nose was interesting, even promising. There was the signature Cabernet blackcurrant, but that was not all. It also brought a surprising amount of mint. In fact, the mint was so clear I could identify it not just as mint, but specifically as wintergreen. There was also, alas, enough vanilla, or should I say VANILLA, to hint of oak to come. On the palate, too, there was promised, ultimately crushed by wood. Eucalyptus joined the blackcurrant and mint, but it all devolved quickly into vanilla and wood. This was a potentially pretty good wine absolutely crushed by efforts to make it mainstream and generic.

Finally, we had a reisling, Leonard Kreusch Reisling spatlese late harvest '07.

The nose was very sweet, offering not just pears, but the juice of canned pears. There were apples, too, along with the key lime from a key lime pie, rather than pure juice. Apples disappeared on the palate, leaving primarily pears plus a little key lime. We got hustled out to clear space for the first dinner seating so I can't say much more.

My overall impression was not overly enthusiastic. The wine list was a little thin. Mark-ups were not bad (about double, when they had a captive audience), but selections were pretty low-end with a few very high end "name" wines, like Opus 1 and Darioush. What it was really missing were the good wines in the middle.

Hannah Nicole Vineyards Cabernet Saugivnon 2003

85% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
Contra Costa County
13.9% alcohol


From the bottle notes:

All great wines start in the vineyard... with great grapes. At Hannah Nicole Vineyards our goal is to produce 100% of the grapes used for our wine in our Brentwood, California Vineyards. By controlling the growing process we are assured that our wine is made from grapes grown to the highest standards. Our vineyards are pruned to allow no more than four tons of grapes per acre.This help us create the intense flavors and color that you will find in all of our wines. The warm Delta days and cool nights help the grapes mature in perfect balance. Once the grapes are ready for harvest, we handpick all of our grapes so that only the best grapes are used for our wine.

Our 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep in color and complex with intense flavors of plum, black cherry, licorice and anise. Heavy tannins combine with new French Oak in this classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Produced from 85% Cabernet Suavignon and 15% Merlot and aged for 24 months in 40% New French Oak. Great with Lamb, Beef or Chocolate!

Night One

The first impression of the nose is that it is a little green. There is a touch of black currant, enough to say 'there's cabernet sauvignon in there,' but it is certainly not "intense." On the palate, too, green was the primary impression. Maybe it needs more time. Let's give it a night to sleep and see what happens tomorrow.

Night Two

The first impression on the nose tells you that the additional time helped. The first impression was of bruised plums, bruised apples and caramel. Stick your nose all the down into the glass, close your eyes and inhale deeply and richer odors come through, smells of coffee, black fruit and raisins.

The palate was still a little green, but not like Night One. Blackcurrant and plum skins led the attack. There was a real mid-palate as the black fruit morphed to dark cherries, cherry stones and unsweetened chocolate. Tannins are dry and strong, and not yet well-knit with the fruit. Tannins and fruit fight with each other rather than complementing each other.

This was far richer the second night but was still green and out of balance. It will improve, in my opinion, with some cellar time, but will never be great, or even particularly good. It will be competent but not much more.

2005 Stevenot Cabernet Sauvignon

The Wooden Guy was impressed. This wine came from California Wine Club. Through the Club it was a mere $15.99, a great price for any Cali cab.

Night One

The nose was complex, showing blackcurrant, menthol and cedar. On the palate it was equally interesting, opening with blackcurrant and cigar box, yielding to a midpalate of cranbery and vanilla, before finishing sweet with brown sugar and vanilla. Tannins were drying, a bit harsh, but this is a very new cab. Wait to Night Two to judge this part of the wine.

Night Two

The nose is much rounder and softer now, offering much fuller odors. The blackcurrant still leads, followed by vanilla and a touch of nutmeg.

On the palate the mouth feel is far more full, the flavors darker and richer. Blackcurrants and joined by stwed plums, with a midpalate of cedar and blackberries, then vanilla and a sweet brown sugar finish. Tannins softened considerably, with only a memory of leather, rather than strong lingering leather, on the finish.

Deerfield Merlot Cuvee 2004

The Wooden Guys take the gratuitous over-use of wood personally.

Deerfield Ranch Winery
2004 Merlot Cuvee
North Coast
75% Merlot
10% Cabernet Sauvignon
7% Sangiovese
5% Malbec
3% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol 14.2%

From the bottlenotes:

Winemaking is a combination of art and science, cooking and chemistry. Like a memorable meal, it's first about the quality of the ingredients and then about interplay of flavors, textures and techniques. Our merlot cuvee is all this in the glass. Six of our favorite vineyards supplied the grapes. Our winemaking focused the individuality of each varietal. Long barrel aging gave them texture. The blend, done by taste, married them into a harmonious, fruit flavored sensation, each element playing on the other, nothing out of place, every sip memorable. We produced 2,000 cases.

Sante'

Night One

Black fruit, red fruit, fruit fruit fruit. Lots of fruit up in your snoot. Not just fruit, there's lots of wood. Do you like wood? Some wood is good. Too much wood, though can be bad. Too much wood, it makes me sad. Fruit and wood and something more. What's that more down in the core? Tobacco from the cabernet franc, cabernet franc added to the tank. It's time to drink, to drink and think. Will it be great or will it stink?

I sipped and tripped on all the oak, so much oak it's like a joke. Sure theres's fruit, it's plenty sweet, so very sweet I beat retreat. Vanilla, brown sugar, cherries and wood, too much too much is just not good.

Am I being fair or just trying to rhyme? I can rhyme at any time. Just watch me go- "blow, Joe, though, fro." It's really the wine. I thought you should know.

Will this be better on Night Two? Stick with me, my faithful crew.

Night Two

Wood defeats fruit.

Sticky vanilla oak juice.

Too much is too little.