1994 Cristal, 1995 Chateau Gazin and 2001 Pahlmeyer

We spent last weekend at Lake Tahoe with good friends who brought a magnum of the 1995 Chateau Gazin, Pomerol, Bordeaux Blend (among others). It was opened a couple of hours prior to dinner and at first we thought the wine was a little bit off and did not particularly enjoy it. We wondered if it could have gone past it's peak. However after enjoying some champagne, 1994 Cristal Champagne, Louis Roederer, (that unfortunately according to my palate was past it's peak) we revisited and discovered a major improvement.

But first, let's back up to the 1994 Cristal Louis Roederer. It had a relatively dark straw color with a beautiful stream of small bubbles rushing up the glass. The nose showed dominent aromas of green apple, with citrus and slight caramel notes, accompanied by the traditional yeast and earth components. Our friends insisted on chocolate/mocha notes but I could not pick it up. I wish we would have opened this bottle a couple of years ago at what point I think it would have been more vivid and "refreshing". Never the less a great champagne that you don't have the opportunity to enjoy to often...

Find it at WineZap.com from $369.90.

After breathing for a little bit over 4 hours the 1995 Chateau Gazin Pomerol was starting to come into it's right. Deep ruby red in the glass with a slight brick color. The nose surprisingly vivid with fruit and berries, backed by spice and oak. The palate showing more restrained and subtle fruit with currant, cherry and raspberry, along with earth, smoke and a meaty quality. A medium to full bodied wine with refined, elegant, medium length finish. Certainly a wine that is best enjoyed with a meal. In this case a whole roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce, roasted beets, pureed parsnips, and a cauliflower-broccoli- spinach gratin.

Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $82.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

After the Pomerol we moved on to a 2001 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red, Napa Valley. This wine is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot, and 1% Malbec. Aged in 100% new French Oak and the bottled unfined and unfiltered.

This wine showed massive, lush fruit on the nose with dark cherry, black raspberry, blackberry and heavy vanilla. The palate did not disappoint. Dark cherry, black currant, blackberry with earthy smoke, made us all happy. Full bodied with well integrated tannins and good acidity. This powerful wine was a great end to the evening and perfect with my Maldon and vanilla salt topped fudge brownies with vanilla bean ice cream.

Find this beauty at WineZap.com from $102. Definitely worth it's price.

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Pahlmeyer and Vineyard 29

Sunday night we had dinner with good friends and had two bottles of really good wine.


We started of with a bottle of Pahlmeyer 2003 Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine. Winemaker Erin Green made this from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot, and 0.5% Malbec.
This wine shows a dark garnet color in the glass.
On the nose, dark fruit and berries with oak and a smokey note.
The palate exudes dark plum, black cherry, black currant, and again notes of smoke. The wine is surprisingly smooth for being relatively young. Rich in fruit and full bodied, with good acidity, and velvety well integrated tannins. All this and a long beautiful finish make this a great bottle of wine.


Next up was Vineyard 29 2005 Cru Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were sourced from six vineyards across Napa Valley, hand sorted and gently processed in the full gravity flow winery. Aged 18 months in French Oak, 60% new.

This wine has a dark, ruby red/purple color in the glass. The nose screams of ripe, dark fruit and berries, dark cherry, and vanilla.

The fruit on the palate is equally lush with dark cherry, black currant, and coffee. All with a spice note. The acidity is sufficient and the tannins soft. This wine is young, but very approachable and drinks nicely. It's lush and fruity with a lengthy finish and I can't wait to revisit it in the future.

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Cosentino 2002 M.Coz Napa Valley Meritage

This is a bottle that we got a couple of years back in our wine club member shipment from Cosentino Winery. Tonight it was time to pop it open to go with a nice Filet Mignon.

This is a unfined and unfiltered wine made from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

It has an extremely dark, dense garnet color in the glass. The nose reveals dark cherry, blackberry, black currant, and vanilla. The wine is equally concentrated in fruit and berries on the palate with black cherry, blackberry, plum and black currant with some dusty earth. The tannins are plentiful and very firm. The finish is relatively long with fruit, earthiness and with a slight heat from the relatively high alcohol level (14.6%).

This is all over a very intense, although not overly ripe, wine on both nose and palate. With the firm tannins this makes for a young 2002 that I wish I would have kept my hands off another couple of years, at least... Not to say it's not a really enjoyable wine at this point in time, but you will see the benefits if you stash it in the back of your pile for 5 years or so.

My wine club member price was $90 and the winery sells it at their web site for $120 to the public. You can make an even better deal at Wine-Searcher.com where you can find it from $75.


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Ella Dining Room and Bar, Sacramento

The much anticipated, official Grand Opening of Ella Dining Room and Bar took place last night. If you live in the Sacramento area I am sure you are familiar with, and maybe have been to, The Kitchen Restaurant or Selland's Market-Cafe, both run by the Selland family. This is their newest venture and the restaurant is named after Randell Selland's grand daughter Ella.
Located at the corner of 12th St. and K St. in the Cathedral Building, a sleek, light wood entry meets you as you step in through the door. The large open restaurant with a big, square bar in the middle of the room, with plenty of seating, has hundreds of Hungarian window shutters decorating the ceiling and part of walls, giving the space a very rustic feel. The seating is a smart mix of smaller contemporary tables with upholstered chairs, and rustic large wood tables and wood chairs for eating community style. Behind the bar sits a large wine room enclosed only by dark glass walls. A lounge area with more bar stool seating and couches also adds to the scene. As you can see contemporary meets rustic in this very cleverly and tastefully decorated restaurant. Private dining rooms are available as well, and chef's tables with a specialized menu.

Moving on to the menu, it offers a wide selection of eclectic cuisine. Our waiter explained the different sections of the menu, and encouraged our party to share a variety of dishes to experience the many flavors.
First on the menu is the cold bar section featuring everything from oysters to ceviche. We tried the Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi with a Salad of Frisee, Radish, Almonds and Citrus Segments ($14). The fresh burst of citrus in the salad and the different textures made a great pairing with the very fresh, delicate yellowfin.
From the next section of the menu, the small plates, we ordered the Braised Short Ribs in Red Wine Reduction ($10). Served on top a parsnip puree and scattered glazed carrots. Succulent, tender, and flavorful, this rustic dish won the heart of all of us. Another fantastic small plate was the Gnocchi in Cream Sauce with Broccoli Rabe, Parmesan and Prosciutto ($12). The gnocchi impossibly fluffy/pillowy with almost a creamy texture as they melt in your mouth when you bite into them. The accenting ingredients were a perfect match as well as you can see.
Next section was Salads and then Vegetables. We ordered the Heirloom Tomato Stuffed with Burrata Cheese ($9.50) with a side of super sweet cherry tomatoes tossed in basil and olive oil. Burrata is an Italian fresh cheese made from Mozzarella and cream that is mixed until it obtains a soft texture. Mild and creamy it made the sun bursting flavors of the heirloom tomato shine. We also tried the White Corn Soup with Chives and Creme Fraiche ($8). Simple and delicious with bright sweet corn flavor.
On to the Entrees with three different sections, pasta, fish and meat. Us girls had the Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes, Tapenade and Olive Oil ($24), and the Slow Roasted Salmon with Baby Artichokes, Preserved Lemon and Lardons ($24). Both great dishes, my salmon moist and melting in the mouth. The guys had the Grilled New York Strip with Tomato, Mushrooms, and Gremolata ($28) and the Grilled Hereford Ribeye with Bordelaise, and Bearnaise Sauce ($48). Great dishes as well, the only mistake being the New York Strip coming out at the table as medium rare when being ordered medium.
Although stuffed at this point we had to try a few of the desserts as well, three to be exact... A Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Soft Ganache Center, Cocoa Nibs, and Toasted Coconut Almond Ice Cream, and the Profiteroles with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce, both really good, although the profiterole eating guest thought the profiteroles were slightly dry. Despite being a chocoholic, I have to admit that the third dessert was the most interesting. A French Toast with Cinnamon, Maple Syrup and Coffee Ice Cream. Excellent marriage and balance of the flavors.

This massive feast was enjoyed with three fantastic bottles of wine. Roar 2005 Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, Jayson 2002 Napa Valley Red Wine and Plumpjack 1995 Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We had brought the 2002 Jayson with us, the other two bottles were from their well put together wine list. With a limited but very well choosen selection under each varietal, it concentrates mostly on new world wines but does not forget about the wines from Europe. It has something to offer for everyone, with prices for a bottle of wine starting at under $30 and climbing from there, and with a section dedicated to half bottles. The library section has a great selection of Napa Valley Meritage and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The setting, ambiance and food exceeded my expectations for an opening night. The service was very attentive, courteous and knowledgeable, but as with the stress of any grand opening, just a little off in the timing. Small mistakes like serving first course before our wine had arrived, and forgetting to offer us coffee at dessert time, should be easily overcome as they hit their stride. I have been to grand openings before and not a single one has been able to offer that impeccable service right of the bat. Having dined many times at their other restaurant, The Kitchen, that offers service second to none, I am confident that it is only a matter of days or weeks until this is also achieved at Ella Dining Room and Bar.
Over all I can highly recommend this restaurant and I am one for sure that will be back very soon.


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Cosentino Winery 2003 The Poet Meritage Napa Valley

This meritage consists of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Merlot. Each lot was aged separately in French oak for 30 months, then blended and bottled unfined.

The color in the glass is a very dark, clear, ruby red, whispering of intense fruit. Dark floral and tons of black liquorice greets you on the nose with black tea, blackberry and black currant. On the palate, more blackberry, black currant, cherry, oak, and semi firm, well integrated tannins that balances out the intense fruit well.

I thought this was a great full bodied blend that is big and intense but still well balanced and never goes out of hand on the fruit. Will age well for many years to come. I got it in a wine club shipment a while back at the cost of $65. You can find it at the wineries website at that price, or at Wine-Searcher.com from $39.99.


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Artesa 2001 Elements Red Table Wine

The Artesa 2001 Elements Red Table Wine is a blend of predominantly red Bordeaux varietals with 79% of the grapes coming from Sonoma County and 21% from Napa County. It was aged for two years in 50% new and 50% used French oak.

This wine shows a dark red ruby color with a purple nuance. There are tons of ripe, heavy, dark fruit on the nose with earthiness, an aroma of salty ocean, and vanilla.
On the palate the ripe fruit follows through with dark cherry, plum, black currant accompanied by firm tannins and firm acidity. Both of them crucial to balance this very plush and ripe wine. All in all nothing to write home about but neither is it a bad wine. Big and ripe with ok balance, but lacks in complexity.

Find this wine at WineZap.com from $ 17.69. For a decent, California-style, easy-to-drink, Bordeaux blend: not to shabby.

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Foxen 2002 Foothills Reserve Santa Ynez Valley

The Foxen 2002 Foothills Reserve Santa Ynez Valley is a Bordeaux style, red table wine, made from 44% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

It has a deep, dark, red/purple color in the glass and provides dark cherries and currant with spice on the nose. On the palate, dark cherries, prune, black currant, and a hint of lingonberry and peppery spice shows off. Moderate acidity and firm tannins carries the dark fruit and berries into a long finish. It shows great fruit throughout but also has a nice structure.

A good effort from Foxen! I had this bottle with friends and we all enjoyed it. I thought it would be hard to get a hold of but there are several web sites that carries it. Best deal was at Wine-Searcher.com from $31.05.


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Three great bottles...

I had the opportunity to enjoy three bottles of very good wine this weekend, and want to share my thoughts on them with you.

First out was the Dunn Vineyards 2003 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense red/purple color in the glass. Thick, rich, dark fruit on the nose with black berries. The black berries carries through to the palate with black currant, good acidity and big, but relatively smooth, tannins for being so young. Long, beautiful finish. This wine is a fruit power house. Very good!
After the 2003 we pulled a bottle of the Dunn Vineyards 2000 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, thinking it would be fun to compare the two wines. What a difference! The 2000 has a dark ruby/purple color in the glass as well. On the nose not so much berries but dark cherries and plum with a hint of burnt match stick. Still rich fruit and berries on the palate but not nearly as bright, ripe, and dense as the 2003. The tannins are very firm, and this wine will do well in the bottle for quite a few more years to come.
Robert Parker gave the 2003 92-94 points and the 2000 only 88 points. I do agree with the 2003 (if you can put a number on it...) but I think the 2000 is definitely worth some extra credit. So different but still a really good wine worth 90 or maybe even+.
Later with dinner we had the Joseph Phelps 2001 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. This wine is a different beast compared to the wines from Dunn Vineyards. Not as densely colored in the glass with a great dark ruby red color. Dark fruit, cherries, and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate, cherries, plum and black currant with a slight spiciness. Great acidity and round tannins. This wine is not so much powerful, although full-bodied, but made in a more elegant style with great balance throughout, and a long finish.

Can't complain about this trio of wines. My taste buds were very happy this day...


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Two boutique wineries: Falcor and Phipps Family Cellars

This Saturday I went to a tasting at my local wine store, Capitol Cellars, where two boutique wineries from Napa Valley were pouring their wine.
Let's start with the larger of the two, Falcor Wine Cellars. Falcor was founded in 1995 by Trial Lawyers Jim Peterson and Mike Bee. They got winemaker Ray Coursen on board, who has been in the wine industry since 1983, created Elyse Winery in 1987 (named after his daughter), and has since then added the Jacob Franklin label (named after his son).
The 2003 Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley ($33) has some white floral and tropical fruit on the nose. It is very round and creamy on the palate with a good amount of oak and the typical buttery flavor. A very good Chardonnay if this is your style. If you prefer a more light and not so oaky Chard, you need to look elsewhere...
The 2004 Napa Valley Sangiovese ($30) is made in the "Super Tuscan" style with 88% Sangiovese and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Red cherries and licorice on the nose with an earthy aroma. On the palate, black currant and red cherries with medium firm tannins and medium-low acidity. Nice long finish.
Next up was the 2002 Napa Valley Le Bijou (the jewel in French) ($41). This wine is a Bordeaux style blend with 44% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot. This offers the wine several layers on both nose and palate and great complexity. On the nose I initially got a grassy, green vegetable aroma that gave way to a more earthy aroma with black currant, cherries and black berries. It has great, restrained and not to ripe, red fruit and berries on the palate with high acidity and big, firm tannins that all lends this wine a beautiful lingering finish.
Last but not least the 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) was poured. The composition of this wine is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petite Verdot. Lush fruit on the nose with plum, dark cherries with a hint of basil. The great dark, ripe fruit and berries carries through to the palate with good amount of acidity, that gives it some backbone, and big tannins.
I really enjoyed all of the wines from Falcor and thought they were very well crafted.

Andrew and Jennifer Phipps

The second winery was the Phipps Family Cellars. It was founded in 2004 by Andrew "Andy" (has 16 years of experience in the wine and beverage industry) and Jennifer Phipps (also works for Falcor). They hired winemaker Jeff Fontanella who has wine making experiences from Opus One, ZD Winery, Saddleback Cellars, Venge Family Winery and more.
The 2004 is their first vintage with a production of 300 cases.
Their one and only wine so far, the 2004 Sonoma County Ranches Zinfandel ($36), was poured at the tasting, and by no other than Andy Phipps himself! It was a great privileged to be able to talk to the proprietor about his wine, and he also knew the Falcor wines he poured inside out.
His grapes are from three different vineyards. The Zinfandel is 72% from Bacigalupi Vineyard, Russian River Valley, and 18% from Ramazzotti Vineyard Old Vines, Dry Creek Valley, blended with 10% of Petite Sirah from Bacigalupi Vineyard.
This wine has toasty nose with ripe, dark berries and a hint of vanilla. The palate reveals black cherries, dark berries and peppery spice. I was very impressed by the first vintage from the Phipps family and I am looking forward to tasting the upcoming vintages to see how they evolve.

If you are interested in any of these wines you can find them at the winery web site or at the wine store I visited. Just click on the name of the winery/wine store in the body above.

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South African Wine

In my quest of widening my knowledge on other wine than California wine, I last night tried a Bordeaux blend from South Africa. The 2002 Raka, Quinary has won several awards from all over the world and the winery is located just an hours drive from Cape Town, nearby the coast.
This wine has black currant, smoke and a hint of coffee on the nose. On the palate you again have the dark berries that struggles through the smokey tobacco, with a medium length finish of firm tannins. This wine was a little bit to restrained when first opened so I let it air for about 1 hour and if definitely improved and came to its right.
I could not find this wine online through my regular resources. I bought this bottle at a Vino 100 store for $25. If you happen to run into it one of these days I definitely think it's worth trying if you're just like me curious to try something different. If on the other hand this price range is a little bit of a splurge for you I would pick up a bottle that I know I really like instead...