I haven't posted any notes for a while, but have been lurking and thinking about you guys. My summer started out on a very positive note, with my oldest son graduating high school with plans to attend Western Washington University, right here in Bellingham. My father's health was improved enough to travel out here for the celebration. It turned bad shortly after that, as a close friend and colleague at my work was killed in a scuba diving accident. I was depressed and in quite a funk for a while, in addition to working too much. Things have settled down quite a bit, and we have found a couple of new people to help at work. I hope to get back to more active participation in the wine world. Here is what I've been drinking most recently.
2005 François Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (10/2006)
Smells of peaches and orange marmalade, wet stones, maybe some apricot boytritus? Fleshy, ripe, rich palate, sweeter than the 04 but great balancing acids. Lots of chalky minerals. 12.5%abv. Lovely Vouvray, great value.
This held up pretty well over a couple of days. The flavors took on a fresh squeezed lime aspect that I didn't pick up on day1.
2001 Brovia Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/2006)
Decanted 3 hours. Not the most expressive nose, but rewards if you pay close attention. Floral notes, some dried rose petals, violets, mint (which was more noticeable on the 2nd night). Subtle red berried fruit, very smooth and pure, no noticeable wood, very fine ripe tannins and acidic structure. Delicious, very good value.
1999 Domaine Joseph Roty Bourgogne Cuvée Pressonnier - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (10/2006)
For 2 hours, nothing much happening here, no aromas, kind of scratchy mouthfeel. Then the wine blossomed with light earth tones, fennel seed spice, and red cherry. Good sappy texture, with bright acidity. Went well with bagels and smoked salmon. Very good for a basic Bourgogne.
A glass left over on the next day had a green stemmy vegetable taste that wasn't noticible on day 1.
2000 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (10/2006)
I have found the Walter Clore bottling in the past to show the most restraint and elegance of all the red wines from Columbia Crest. Tonight this seemed a bit out of sorts, showing more vanilla new oak and ripe plummy fruit aromas than I remember. The palate was nicely balanced however with fine soft tannins, maturing flavors of black fruit and some wood spices.
2002 Domaine de Roally Mâcon-Montbellet Tradition - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Montbellet (10/2006)
This bottle seemed closed up tight right now. Minimal aromas, mostly showing some lanolin, white flowers, a little sweet apple and structure right now. Hold.
2001 Isenhower Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Batchelor's Button - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (9/2006)
Nice easy drinking Cabernet blend from Isenhower. This had some cassis, a leafy herbal note, and a little mocha. The mouthfeel was round and soft, flavors in the blackberry/ blueberry spectrum. Good balance and nothing over done, not a blockbuster but pleasant.
2003 Fielding Hills Merlot - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (9/2006)
We really enjoyed this Merlot. Expressive nose with milk chocolate, ripe but not cooked blueberry fruit, dried almonds. The plum and black fruit flavors were balanced by decent acidity and it didn't seem overly wood flavored. A touch on the sweet side. I liked this better than the 03 Cabernet Sauvignon from Fielding Hills, which seemed bigger, more extracted and more aggressively oaky.
2005 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Trinch! - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (9/2006)
This bottle showed some dried leaves and herbal notes and initially was quite lean. It put on a bit of flesh with air, and some red berry fruit developed. Some wet cement like minerals. A little angular and taut, nice with food. If you want gobs, look elsewhere.
2005 Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Clos des Allees - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (9/2006)
This is really beautiful and drinking well from the start. There seems to be a large amount of dry extract, and this shows more fruit aromas than the Pepiere 05 Muscadet. The usual lemon stone seashell descriptors apply, but there is something almost tropical about the lemon, like the etrog in Ushpizin. Concentrated but precise flavors and great cut. Buy by the case.
2001 Qupé Syrah Rancho Arroyo Grande Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley (9/2006)
Purple with red rim. Candied black fruit, rubber, smoke and some earthy aromas. With time some of the more reductive smells left and a brambly note developed. Ripe blackberries, blueberry jam, some black pepper, medium to full bodied, decent acidity despite the ripeness. Very soft tannins. Finishes a little hot. 13.5%abv. Not bad in the style. Was a good match for grilled chicken with BBQ sauce. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years.
2005 Domaine de la Pepiere (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Cepage Cot - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (9/2006)
Smells like raspberry and red licorice stick, and a bit of fresh turned earth. Juicy and lively palate, subtle soft tannins, very easy to drink. Great $9 wine. Drink now. Definite buy again. Plastic cork.
Amazing how different the structure is between this Cot from Pepiere and the Cot from Clos Roche Blanche, which can be a tannic beast.
2003 Celler del Roure Valencia Maduresa - Spain, Valencia (9/2006)
Brought over by Richard. A mix of Tempranillo, Cabernet, Merlot, and Mando. Inky purple color. Smells meaty, black fruit, some earth too. Big and dense in the mouth too, several layers of flavor, lots of grip. Not my preferred style, but seems well made.
2003 The Colonial Estate L'Explorateur - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/2006)
Jammy, extracted, sweet. Over ripe. Almost a caricature of a certain type of Barossa Shiraz.
N.V. Hubert Clavelin Côtes du Jura - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (9/2006)
Very fine value in a sparkler. Good mousse, nose of fresh apples, a little bread dough. Flavorful but light and refreshing. Some mineral notes emerge towards the finish. Great QPR for $15.
