WineLovers Discussion Group

I just got back from D.C. and picked up some wines new to me that I hope this board could expound upon. Thanks, Jim Grow

Edge Napa Cab. 2003 & 2004
Summers "Andrianna's Cuvee" 2003 Napa Cab.
Worthy "Sophia's Cuvee" 2004 Napa Cab.
Merryvale Res. 2001 Napa Cab. (short note in archives)
Ch. Bel Air Haut-Medoc 2000
Wimmer-Czerny 2003 Roter Veltliner
Karl Steininger 2005 Gruner Veltliner (weird label)
Lucien Albrecht Gew. "Cuvee Marie" 2004
Chas. Koehly 1998 Gew. Saint Hippolyte
Schoffit 2004 Gew. Lieu-Dit Harth cuvee Caroline

I haven't had the 2004, but the Worthy (second label of Axios) Sophia's Cuvee is generally a very ripe, forward, thick CalCab. Not a style I drink often, but sometimes I like with a steak, and the Worthy is better (to me) than a lot of similarly priced Cabs.

Haven't had that Gew, but Schoffit is usually pretty good. Others like Albrecht more than I.

Not much help I'm afraid

The Alsace `04`s could be good and the `05 GV might be very nice. Have to check out the producer.

I've tasted Summers cabs at the winery. Not really my style of Napa Cab (it's at the upper, hot end of the Valley). Very fruit forward, jammy. oaky? None of the secondary flavors that you find in even very young cabs that I prefer.

I'm not sure it's the same wine, but we sell the 2005 Steininger GV Grand Cru. I'm not sure you'd call the label odd, but the wine is closed with a glass "cork". I've tasted the wine a couple of times and think it's delicious, peppery, and long. It's pretty ripe for a GV and has something like 25% new wood, so it might not be for everyone. I enjoy it, though, and the people I've recommended it to have come back to buy more!

Doug

Doug House wrote:I'm not sure it's the same wine, but we sell the 2005 Steininger GV Grand Cru. I'm not sure you'd call the label odd, but the wine is closed with a glass "cork". I've tasted the wine a couple of times and think it's delicious, peppery, and long. It's pretty ripe for a GV and has something like 25% new wood, so it might not be for everyone. I enjoy it, though, and the people I've recommended it to have come back to buy more!

Doug

Awww, it IS for everyone! It's great stuff!

PS: Our labels say "Grand Gru." Odd.

Doug, the Steininger GV is closed with a class closure. I like my Ca. Cabs fruit forward and even a bit jammy so I'll probably like the Summers and Worthy. Wish I knew more about the Edge Cabs.

Jim Grow wrote:Karl Steininger 2005 Gruner Veltliner (weird label)

If this is the Steven Holl (Holl is an architect, and did the drawing on the label), I had a bottle about a month ago. We opened this at dinner in a local BYOB restaurant. That night I thought is was a very good, though not particularly distinctive, wine that was worth the $16 it cost in Pennsylvania. About a glass was left over, and I enjoyed it even more the second day, when it showed some interesting, subtle notes on the palate.

This bottle had an interesting closure, by the way. It had a glass stopper with a little rubbery/silicone-like stuff around it to make a seal with the bottle.

Steininger's top Grüner Veltliner is "Grand Grü", a play of words, of course.

The glass stopper is the "Vino-Lok", developped by ALCOA Germany. Take a look:

http://www.vino-lok.de/

The site is in English, but without update since its launch three years(!) ago.

Rumors have it that ALCOA US are producing it, too, but with a small difference: A longer cap (that keeps the glass stopper in place), which also implies different bottles.

Rupert Summerer of Langenlois, Kamptal, is the Austria pioneer; he sealed 100% of his 2004 production under glass.

Ditto what Dale said on the Worthy "Sophie's." The Ch. Bel Air is a very nice, relatively inexpensive cru bourgeios that I've enjoyed from several vintages. Had a 2000 about a month ago that was drinking very well.

The 1997 Merryvale C.S. Reserve was very nice! Haven't tried the 2001.
To Doug House, welcome aboard. I've met you and your wife at DC area tastings in the past.

Jane, thanks for the online welcome, and I hope you're doing well. I've actually been hanging around this board on and off (mainly the latter, I'm afraid) for nearly 10 years now. I've recently dropped out of consulting to work in a wine store for a while, and I'm hoping that will prompt me to get more active in this community.

Colin and a few others continue to be looking for ways to get a tasting group going on a regular basis, so keep an eye out -- perhaps we'll catch up at an offline again soon!

Doug