TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7
The tasting room is tucked away in the quaint neighborhoods of Yountville, just down the street from Jessup Cellars. It's a very modern tasting room with private tables for four, a room for large tasting, and a bar for the casual tasters. There's seating outside, as well.
The staff knew their script about the wines very well, but it was obvious that it was a script. One thing that was a little off-putting was how they reminded all of their new patrons how close to closing they were.
Fermented in stainless. Aged in French oak. Semillon 8% 92% Sau Blanc from Mount Veeder.
A very quiet feel, taste, mouthful.
Nice oak structure. The nose has mild apricot, lemon, and other indistinguishable white fruits. This is refreshing smelling wine, served nicely cool.
2007 Mixed Blacks: $50/$40/$52Field blend of zin, petite sirah, syrah, mouvedre, carignane and who knows what else.
The nose is so openly unashamedly black fruit that you can’t help but nearly pour it through your lungs. The nose also is unmistakedly Carnistoga mouvedre.
The palate follows beautifully with rich deep, dark fruits…
The fruit on the nose actually mutes a little as it warms up. The black fruits are integrated and robust, but difficult to discern. The oak on the nose carries the fruit to your nose, but doesn’t overpower them.
This is a wildly accessible wine that has all appearances of complexity, but isn’t. It’s a really good field blend. The black fruits abound, balanced well with the mild oak finish. This’ll impress your friends…
The nose is so openly unashamedly black fruit that you can’t help but nearly pour it through your lungs. The nose also is unmistakedly Carnistoga mouvedre.
The palate follows beautifully with rich deep, dark fruits…
The fruit on the nose actually mutes a little as it warms up. The black fruits are integrated and robust, but difficult to discern. The oak on the nose carries the fruit to your nose, but doesn’t overpower them.
This is a wildly accessible wine that has all appearances of complexity, but isn’t. It’s a really good field blend. The black fruits abound, balanced well with the mild oak finish. This’ll impress your friends…
2006 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon:$75/$60/$48
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this Cab is exactly cab with just the right amount of earth and spice. I struggle to identify the black fruits due to the oak, but the cherry is accessible.
The oak on the nose blankets the fruit.
Nice mouthfeel, that’s soft and silky, but a little lighter-bodied than I would expect. The fruit is well integrated, again, but difficult to distinguish. This is a spicy cab that some of your friends would like, but others would pass on.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this Cab is exactly cab with just the right amount of earth and spice. I struggle to identify the black fruits due to the oak, but the cherry is accessible.
The oak on the nose blankets the fruit.
Nice mouthfeel, that’s soft and silky, but a little lighter-bodied than I would expect. The fruit is well integrated, again, but difficult to distinguish. This is a spicy cab that some of your friends would like, but others would pass on.
2006 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
The nose is much softer, with more accessible dark fruit. Cassis, blackberry, black cherry, but there’s a significant amount of oak on the nose. The nose belies the longevity of this wine. The oak on the palate isn’t nearly as oaky, and the cassis really stands out. It’s full-bodied with really great mouthfeel, for a cab.
The nose is much softer, with more accessible dark fruit. Cassis, blackberry, black cherry, but there’s a significant amount of oak on the nose. The nose belies the longevity of this wine. The oak on the palate isn’t nearly as oaky, and the cassis really stands out. It’s full-bodied with really great mouthfeel, for a cab.
2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
Where’s the nose? The oak is almost non-existent on the nose. The bouquet has a peppery nose, tempered with black fruits. This isn’t a wine that gained much from the oak. If they used new oak on the 2006, they used the same barrels for this wine. As Cabernet Sauvignons go, this is an easy drinker, but not impressionable. Both wines, though, were aged in 85% new French oak.
Where’s the nose? The oak is almost non-existent on the nose. The bouquet has a peppery nose, tempered with black fruits. This isn’t a wine that gained much from the oak. If they used new oak on the 2006, they used the same barrels for this wine. As Cabernet Sauvignons go, this is an easy drinker, but not impressionable. Both wines, though, were aged in 85% new French oak.
2006 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$60
The nose has a non-threatening softness to it. This is a highly structured wine with all the tannins and earthiness that is expected. The fruit is struggling to compete with the tannins, but does so in a manner that makes the wine better. A wine you could/should pair with meaty/peppery food, but is just barely accessible enough to drink by itself.
The nose has a non-threatening softness to it. This is a highly structured wine with all the tannins and earthiness that is expected. The fruit is struggling to compete with the tannins, but does so in a manner that makes the wine better. A wine you could/should pair with meaty/peppery food, but is just barely accessible enough to drink by itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment