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August 30, 2009
Tasting 2000 Pilllar Rock CS and 2005 St Supery Virtu
- 2005 St. Supéry Vineyards Virtú Meritage - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/30/2009)
The Semillon really shines through on this wine. Honey-suckle, fresh peaches, nectarine, and a hint of pear flavors nicely compliment vanilla undertones. I would have liked to see a bit more acidity to lift this wine's structure a bit higher. It's rich, but a bit heavy. Stlll, an interesting nice white wine when looking for something a bit different than same-old, same-old chards or sauv blancs. Recommended. (84 pts.) - 2000 Pillar Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District (8/26/2009)
Sour cherry, pine needles, slightly medicinal with not much midpalate and short finish. This wine's best days are behind it -- I much preferred this wine 4 years ago when I thought it was a standout from the 2000 vintage. Drink up.
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Posted by matchvineyards at August 30, 2009 10:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 28, 2009
8/26/09 My clusters are purple. Veraison complete.
Tuesday, 8/26/09 - I'm driving in to the Napa Valley. It is 11AM and the fog has just burned off. It's 59 degrees. When I take the photos below (around 3PM), it has warmed up to 83 degrees. Those temperature swings are a big part of what makes Napa Valley wines great. It has been a mild weather year.
Butterdragon Hill has completed veraison.
Baconbrook has completed veraison as well. The grapes are just at that point where the are no longer sour and are starting to taste sweet.
Posted by matchvineyards at August 28, 2009 08:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 27, 2009
8/15/09 I should have showed you these clusters earlier
8/15/09 Butterdragon is just about finished with veraison.
Actually, the cluster below will probably get dropped early. Notice the immature or incompletely formed berries.
Posted by matchvineyards at August 27, 2009 10:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Instant wine collection and nice book available for $1 million.
Actually, at today's exchange rate, the as-yet-unpublished 640,000 British pounds book comes out to $1,036,811.40 but who wants to quibble over pennies? British publisher Kraken Opus will be producing an 850 page book which features the "100 top wineries in the world" as selected by an unnamed panel of experts. The book will be accompanied by 10 bottles of wine from each winery and only 100 books will be produced.
So, if you've got a mil just burning a hole in your pocket, you can pick up 600 bottles of some undoubtedly great wine and undoubtedly a very pretty book. Or you can order 13,888 bottles of Match. Heck, I could probably even be persuaded to do a volume discount on an order that size.
Posted by matchvineyards at August 27, 2009 10:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 26, 2009
Tasting a couple of '99s from Sonoma
Last night we had a small bbq to mark the last evening before my son started his junior year. The kids had to settle for Ginger Beer, Snapple, and Starbucks frappuccino but I figured we parents should have a little something special to go with our steaks. What better way to observe the occasion than wine from the year these "youngsters" started first grade? (I was so glad the math worked out to the 1999 vintage and not 1998 or 2000.)
- 1999 Vérité La Joie - USA, California, Sonoma County (8/25/2009)
Raspberry and currant, brown sugar, espresso, eucalyptus and a generous dose of oak though the wine is in balance. Drinking more youthfully than the 99 Ch. St Jean Cinq Cepages we opened alongside. Has the structure to continue developing. Drink now with 2 hour decant but probably better to hold 2-3 more years. (90 pts.) - 1999 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages - USA, California, Sonoma County (8/25/2009)
This bottle was better than one I opened about 6 months ago. Earthy with forest floor, cherry pipe tobacco, cedar, mushroom and secondary notes of ripe plum and hint of mint. Drinking quite mature now and although there's probably not a big rush, I'd advise enjoying over the next few years. Decanted one hour. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at August 26, 2009 06:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 25, 2009
Tasting 2008 Sigalas Santorini
- 2008 Sigalas Santorini - Greece, Aegean, Santorini (8/24/2009)
Rather shy floral nose on this pale yellow hued wine. A bit of effervescense. Initial flavors of lychee and banana salt water taffy and finishes with tart green apple. Quite charming though I did not get the mineral and citrus notes that some other CT writers did. Well worth the $21.99 from local wine store. My first, but hopefully not last, experience with the Greek Assyrtiko grape. (86 pts.)
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Posted by matchvineyards at August 25, 2009 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 24, 2009
Tasting 1999 Pride Merlot
- 1999 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot - USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma (8/19/2009)
Big wine with a huge attack of red licorice, boysenberry, cinnamon, mocha, and wood smoke. Time has tamed this wine a bit so you don't have to just have it for dessert but like breaking a wild stallion, it has lost some of its uniqueness. Still classic Foley. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at August 24, 2009 04:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 21, 2009
Wine and cheese pairing?
What are your favorite wine and cheese pairings?
Awesome cheese pairings with Match Cabernet Sauvignon:
Petit Basque (French sheep)
Il Boschetto al Tartufo (blend of sheep and cow with truffle pieces).
I picked up both yesterday from Sunshine Foods Market in St Helena, which, by the way, is THE BEST PLACE to shop for groceries in the Napa Valley.
Sunshine Foods Market
1115 Main Street
St Helena, Ca 94574
(707) 963-7070
Posted by matchvineyards at August 21, 2009 08:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 17, 2009
Congratulations CellarTracker!
CellarTracker just reached 1,000,000 user posted tasting notes. What Eric Levine began 5 years ago as a way to track his own wine collection has grown to be among the most influential and in my opinion the most useful wine website out there. I, along with 82,000 other registered users, manage our own wine collections, record our thoughts on the wines we're drinking, and research other wines using this website. A good measure of CellarTracker's range is, according to a press release from CellarTracker, leading wine magazines Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate each publish about 1000 reviews per month. CellarTracker users post on average 1100 tasting notes a day.
I think this milestone represents more than just the success of one website. It, and certainly some other sites (even Facebook), are giving wine lovers the tools to learn more about their passion and decentralizing the information available. The influence of any one critic has been reduced. While some may argue that "amateur" tasting notes and reviews are not of much value, I think that when you get enough of them, you really start to get a feeling for what a wine is like. This, in my opinion, is the greatest value of CellarTracker. 30 positive reviews on CellarTracker are far more influential to me than one guy's experience on one particular day, even if that guy was dubbed the emperor of wine.
I may be just preaching to the choir as I know that many folks who will read this already use CellarTracker, but those who aren't, give it a try. It is based on the shareware model. It is free to register and use but there are suggested donations based on the size of cellar you are tracking. Donations also turn on some additional value added features like links to professional reviews and wine auction values. Note: I don't have any commercial or other interest in CellarTracker. I'm just a very enthusiastic user.
I'd love to hear about your favorite feature or discovery on CellarTracker. Feel free to also post the negatives and suggestions too. Anything constructive, I'll pass on to Eric Levine.
Search CellarTracker for notes on Match Vineyards' wines.
Posted by matchvineyards at August 17, 2009 07:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2009
Tasting 2007 Melville Chardonnay Estate Verna's Vineyard
- 2007 Melville Chardonnay Estate Verna's - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (8/8/2009)
Earlier this year, we took a marvelous trip to the CA Central Coast and did a tasting at Melville. Based on that visit, I bought 6 bottles of this wine. Today was the first time I opened a bottle and am very happy with my purchase. Deep green-golden hue. Lemon and roasted nut aromas. Outstanding chardonnay grape flavor with lemon zest, tangerine, green apple and just a hint of vanilla and oak. Big mouth-coating feel and long, tropical sweet-tart finish. I believe I like this one considerably more than some previous CT tasters and thankfully, did not experience the big oak and butter that one mentioned. I'll be drinking most of these over the next 3 years but will probably lay down one or two long term. (90 pts.)
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Posted by matchvineyards at August 15, 2009 11:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 14, 2009
Tasting a couple of 2003 Pinots from Oregon
- 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.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at August 14, 2009 09:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 08, 2009
Tasting: a Zin and a Field Blend
- 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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Posted by matchvineyards at August 08, 2009 04:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 06, 2009
8/6/09 A fresh look at my clusters
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.
Posted by matchvineyards at August 06, 2009 02:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2009
Tasting a really fun white wine from Kirk Venge
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.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at August 01, 2009 09:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
