2003 Chateau La Vielle Cure St. Emilion. OK. Definitely shows the hot year with a little bit of confected prune in the fruit. Did not really show the alcohol (14.5%) that goes along with the big, stewed fruit.
Still, some nice earthy flavors and defintiely some complexity and layers that make the wine more interesting than many merlots in its class. Interesting enough to rate it 86 points? Can't touch the Peyrau, but still not bad (especially if one is used to drinking Merlot from California).
2003 Ch. Robin Les Moines St Emilion On the other hand, this lower alcohol wine shows that one can have very boring wines in Bordeaux, too
Too soft, no structure, kinda bland fruit. 81. May have been heat damaged-I still do not know why I bought wine from a shop with such poor storage. (Hennessy's in San Francisco) How can a shop in SF be so HOT inside? 2005 Chateau Belle Vue Haut Medoc. All those comments about 2005s being tight and tannic? Not true here. Too soft, too easy drinking. Absolutely no structure. Absolutely no interest. A soft quaffer that would stand in for many generic California red wines (BV Coatal and the like) but pricier. Nothing technically wrong with it-no excessive oak, no huge hit of alcohol. Just kind of soft and bland and fruity. I vastly preferred the 2002 Paulillac in all its tannic glory-and the Chateau d'Armilhac is cheaper. 82 points because there are no obvious technical flaws and it is certainly drinkable.
EDIT: Well, the Cellartracker comments are much more positive, including some comments about searing tannins 12 months ago. I wonder now about bottle variation.
Brother's Wedding!!!!!
Two California wines that I feel were almost more "Old World" than the Bordeaux this week.
1996 Renaissance Proprietary Red Wine. Maybe transcendental Russian/Armenian wierdness is what California needs to make great wine. I really liked the layers of balanced fruit, herbal and savory notes, low alcohol, nice medium body mouth feel. Just a classy, classy Claret with no hint of exhaustion in this bottle. 93 points again
2005 Robert Sinskey Vineyards "Three Amigos" Carneros Pinot Noir. I know Carneros is neglected in the wine press, but I am finding good Pinot from this southern Napa appellation. This is one of the more Burgundian Pinots I've had from California. Subtle, balanced fruit on the red cherry side with good acidity, as is often the case in Carneros. What really stands out, though, is the delicious earthy and mushroom character of the fruit. I hate the confected cherry cola flavors too often present in Cali Pinot-there is none of that here. This is one of the most subtle wines I've had from Napa Valley. In fact, my brother found it too subtle-her prefers the bolder, more confected Cali pinots.
I also learned that my sister guzzled the Fort Ross Reserve Pinot, the other star California Pinot, I had accidentally left at her house.
I hope there is more left!