20. June 2009 by Azat.

I had an awesome evening recently with my 2 friends at Palate Wine bar.  Will write about it soon but want to write about the wine that we had which was pretty awesome.  2006 Clos Saint Jean Chateauneauf du Pape Vieilles Vignes.  The wine was very rich with lots of enticing fig sauce, heavy raspberry tones, melted licorice and boysenberry fruit notes. Sweet spice notes linger in the mouth for a long time and it has a rounded finish.

Robert Parker says, “Under the inspired winemaking talent of Rhone oenologist Philippe Cambie in addition to proprietor Vincent Maurel, 2003 marked a breakthrough vintage for Clos Saint-Jean, and that has been followed by some of the finest wines of 2004 and blockbusters again in 2005. This 120-acre estate possesses some of the best old vine parcels of the appellation and has always had enormous potential, but the style of aging the wines in foudres for 5-6 years or longer resulted in too many wines that were dried out and lacked freshness. That has all changed under Cambie’s inspired winemaking, which keeps the Grenache in large foudres or demi-muids, and then ages the Syrah and Mourvedre components in smaller barrels. Yields, which were already low, have been lowered even further, and the wine is now bottled with neither fining nor filtration. If you haven’t caught on to the exquisite quality of Clos Saint-Jean’s Chateauneuf du Papes, now is the time. Just a reminder – their 2003s were some of the great wines of that irregular vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape, and they can still be found in the marketplace. These wines still remain somewhat underpriced vis-a-vis their quality, and a real bargain is the regular cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, normally a blend of 70-75% Grenache all aged in tank or large foudres and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault.”

Rating
“The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes’ darkopaque color is accompanied by a gorgeous nose of incense, licorice, spice box, creme de cassis, cherries, and smoked meats. Notions of soy and fig are also apparent in this full-bodied, concentrated, sexy wine. Enjoy it over the next 12-15+ years.”-Robert Parker 93 Points

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29. March 2009 by Azat.

Last night went to 3 Drunken Goats up in Montrose area of Glendale for some wine and tapas.  I noticed that on the wine rack they had a bottle of The Prisoner and asked if we can have that.  At $34 it was a steal in a restaurant.

The Prisoner: its simply the most delicious Zin blend available that i have tasted. Its predominantly Zinfandel(50%) with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blended in, it’s up there with the best California Zins that cost twice as much. Zin blends are some of the most exciting wines coming out of California today and this is perhaps the finest example. Don’t miss this delicious fruit bomb bursting with deep, rich flavors. The best release yet from Orin Swift Cellars.

92 Points Wine Spectator: “Offers both style and structure, with lively aromas of black raspberry, cracked pepper and mocha, with plush and layered flavors pf wild berry, fresh sage and licorice. Ripe tannins sneak in on the finish.  Drink now through 2014.”

The 2007 Prisoner blend is 50% Zinfandel, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah and a dash of Charbono and Grenache.

For the price I think The Prisoner is one of the best Zin blends I have ever had.  You can find it for under $30 at some wine shops.  I suggest you buy a few and stack up.

As for 3 Drunken Goats its a great place to go and have wonderful Spanish wine and food.  They also have some wine available for retail that you can consume in the establishment at retail prices…

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8. March 2009 by Azat.

This is one of those wines for which I started my blog and the type of wine that I enjoy and love drinking and the type of wine that some day I will offer at my wine bar/shop.

2004 Allende.  It is a beautiful red that is fresh and firm, offers cherry, blackberry, and mineral notes over supportive but not obtrusive tannins. Sleek and polished, with an earthy edge that gives it lots and lots of depth.  Here is what the Wine Advocate said about it.

92 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): “The 2004 Allende, a 100% Tempranillo cuvée, was barrel fermented in a mix of new and used French oak, remained in barrel for 13 months, and was bottled unfiltered. The wine is inky purple-colored and has a superb nose of pain grille, mineral, violets, cranberry, and blueberry. The youthful palate reveals layers of fruit, ripe tannin, and excellent balance. The wine merits another 3-4 years of bottle age and should drink well through 2020. Kudos to Finca Allende for a magnificent set of 2004 Riojas!”

This wine is also ranked 90+ points by Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar and also by Wine Enthusiast. And the best part is that you can still find this wine for well under 25 dollars at many internet shops.  3 very solid stars

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2. February 2009 by Azat.

 2005 Chappellet “Signature” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

90+ points from Robert Parker: “Revealing a deeper ruby/purple color as well as a classic bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, spring flowers, and background earth, the medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon(link to the 2006 vintage) can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years.” (Dec. 2008)

I got 3 bottles at the winery last summer and had the first bottle today post Superbowl with some BBQ.  The is an exceptional wine.  Dark garnet.  Black cherry and oak on the nose.  Black cherry forward fruit that takes on chocolate flavors on the finish, moderate acid, moderate soft tannins, long fruity finish.  In many ways this wine reminds me of many of the Bordeaux style wines.  This is a very nice wine with lots of fruit and interesting complexity. It is accessible now and will soften out more with a few years of aging.  Too bad I only have 2 left.

I would rank this wine 4 stars and it is a bit on the pricey side for my day to day consumption at $40 but it is a great wine for special occasions.

On a different note the picture in my intro is from the winery.  If you ever go to Napa you have to make a visit to the winery.  Its beautiful.

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