• 2003 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir La Bohème – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (8/7/2009)
  Rich, full flavors of red raspberries with cherry pie, clove, Christmas spices, and a hint of sweet oak. Not a huge wine, this medium-bodied Pinot still went wonderfully with grilled salmon and wasn’t even embarrassed when it followed a few bites of filet mignon. Drinking well now, there’s no big rush. I’d open between now and 2012. Dominated the 2003 St Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard it was served alongside. (89 pts.)
• 2003 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (8/7/2009)
  Bing cherries, mushroom, soy, in this light bodied wine. Pronounced acidity is a little off putting without some bigger flavors to balance it out and was certainly overpowered by grilled salmon and veggies. Judging by CT notes from a few years back and by this particular bottle, I’d say this wine’s best days are behind it. Drink up. Tasted alongside 2003 Elk Cove Pinot Noir La Boheme which was significantly better. (84 pts.)

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• 2006 Casa Nuestra Tinto Classico – USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (7/29/2009)
  Rustic and earthy with dark ripe plum, tar, bacon, cedar, graphite, and black licorice. Unique field blend that for lack of a better comparison, reminds me of something I might find in an Italian village. (87 pts.)
• 2006 Outpost Zinfandel – USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (7/28/2009)
  I’m not normally one to give a tasting note based on a wine on Day 2 after opening, but this time, that’s how it worked out. To my benefit. Yesterday the wine was unexciting: big boysenberry syrup fruit and some tart acidity but reticent on showing anything else. Today, it is showing much better. The boysenberry has been tamed to a more integrated package with some nice white pepper, freshly tanned leather, and brambly forest floor. Hold this wine until 2011 and enjoy a really good, well-balanced Zin that doesn’t overwhelm its company at the table. (90 pts.)

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Butterdragon Hill

Mild weather continues in the Napa Valley. Today the sun didn’t come out until about 1:30 and the high temperature will be just in the low 70’s. At Butterdragon Hill, overall veraison appears to be about a quarter of the way complete though a few clusters like the one above are further along. Clone 15 is ahead of Clones 7 and 337.

Baconbrook Vineyard

Baconbrook continues to be further along. It is 3/4 or more through veraison.

Kirk Venge, of Venge Vineyards, is well on his way building a reputation as one of the most talented young winemakers in the Napa Valley. He has big shoes, or perhaps I should say, a big cowboy hat to fill as his father is the famed legendary winemaker Nils Venge. I’ve really been impressed in the past by Venge’s Scout’s Honor Zinfandel. This summer, I keep finding myself buying bottles of his Champ des Fleurs white wine.

• 2008 Venge Vineyards Champ des Fleurs Proprietary White – USA, California, Napa Valley (7/26/2009)
  This was my third bottle of this wine. I really like it. This propriety blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc offers a light enough package to work as a pleasant quaffer on a hot summer afternoon but complex enough to cause pause for thought. Initial notes of lemon grass and melon give way to a hefty dose of creme brulee and buttery pastry. A nice dose of acidity lifts it up and keeps the residual sweetness from being cloying. I’m considering picking up a case as a house white. (88 pts.)

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