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December 28, 2009
Tasting 2007 d'Arenberg The Stump Jump
- 2007 d'Arenberg The Stump Jump - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (12/26/2009)
Peachy with honeysuckle blossom, ripe honeydew. Hint of oily petrol aroma. Finishes sweet. Quite nice. Off an "expensive" restaurant wine list in Vietnam it was $30 so if it is available retail in the US, it should be at an attractive price to stock up: it would go well either as a sipping wine at a party or with Asian fare. (85 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 28, 2009 08:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 25, 2009
Video blog by Judd Finklestein will make you chuckle
The Finklestein Family is Napa Valley wine royalty. Okay, perhaps they're more like the wine court jesters. They are fun, funny, eccentric, and make life in wine country just a little bit more interesting. Art and Bunny Finklestein created Whitehall Lane and then moved on to found Judd's Hill. Their son, Judd, follows in their footsteps running the winery now. Check out Judd's off-the-wall video blog: Judd's Enormous Wine Show. I especially like Episode 2. I'm ready to order tshirts for every kid I know.
Posted by matchvineyards at December 25, 2009 05:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
2007 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett
- 2007 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheinhessen (12/25/2009)
Lemon curd, peaches, floral, in this charming but primary wine. It is a kabinett but one still gets an overall impression of sweetness. Right now it goes well with a big, spicey Vietnamese meal. Would be interesting to see how this one develops over the years. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 25, 2009 03:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 24, 2009
2006 Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon The Cover Drive
2006 Jim Barry Cabernet Sauvignon The Cover Drive - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley (12/24/2009)
Huge candy monster. Blueberry flavored syrup, berries and cream, chocolate, charred wood. Some zingy acidity keeps it from being cloying but if served blind, I would have guessed this was an Aussie Shiraz, not a Cab. Just not my favorite thing to do with the Cab grape, but if you like this style, you'll like this wine. (86 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 24, 2009 04:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 19, 2009
Loving 2001 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2001 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena (11/18/2009)
Wow. I got excited about this wine just during the decant. Smokey and berry aromas filled the room. An hour later, I was not disappointed. The glass was filled with wood smoke and flavors of rum soaked cherries, anise, cinnamon, clove, pencil lead, and sweet oak all in perfect balance. An incredible wine. Subtle power in every sip with new things seeming to happen every second during the long attack, middle and finish. I love the western slope of the Napa Valley. While a wonderful accompaniment to a special meal, this wine deserves center stage. I got significant sediment from this bottle. Stand it up in advance and decant carefully. Give it 2 hours of air. Drinking marvelously now and will continue to evolve for years. (96 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 19, 2009 03:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 17, 2009
Three New World wines that pay homage to the Old
Notice the label on the Castello di Amorosa. That "castle" was built by V. Sattui a few years back in the Napa Valley. Many would argue that this medieval recreation is out of place in the California wine country but few would say that it isn't a pretty incredible building to visit. Just like going to Disney's Cinderella's castle isn't the same as going to Germany's Neuschwanstein, it's still fun to go.
2002 Castello di Amorosa Merlot - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/13/2009)
Strawberry, balsamic, and a touch of eucalyptus. Castello di Amorosa is still more interesting to visit for its architecture than it is for its wines, but I did like this Merlot. (86 pts.)
I don't know whether the label on the Foley Claret depicts a real coat of arms, but it certainly makes you think Old World. Using "Claret" to refer to a Bordeaux blend also screams Europe. According to Wikipedia, Claret was the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century. Regardless of the name, I've never had a wine made by the very talented, but very New World styled, Bob Foley that could be mistaken as something made on the other side of the pond.
2004 Robert Foley Claret - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District (12/1/2009)
Back in 2007 I thought this wine was fantastic and scored it 94. This time, I did not like it nearly as well. While still showing the same bright fruit, cassis, and chocolate, there was an element of bitterness that was offputting. The tannins were awkward. Bad bottle? I don't think so. I think this wine is is a dumb phase right now. Hold for 2-3 years. (87 pts.)
The elegantly named and beautifully packaged Trilogy is the most modern presentation, and yet it is the most true to Old World inspiration. Trilogy refers to the blend of three of the traditional Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Each varietal brings something special to the wine and Flora Springs does it well.
1999 Flora Springs Trilogy - USA, California, Napa Valley (12/12/2009)
Bright raspberry fruit well balanced with wood smoke, leather, pencil lead. Open the bottle an hour before serving and decant just prior to remove significant sediment. Drink now. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 17, 2009 10:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 12, 2009
Tasting 2006 J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2006 J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain (12/11/2009)
I've been a member of Schramsberg's club for years. In fact, it is the only wine club I belong to -- their quarterly shipments keep me in enough excellent sparkling wine to satisfy my needs and tastes. Every once in a while, they include a bottle of J. Davies still wine in the club shipment. I wasn't a fan of the 2005 but the 2006 J. Davies Cabernet is excellent. Warm rhubarb pie, cinnamon, espresso, and a bit of Italian herb. Not overpowering, this medium body and finish wine compliments the meal. Not expecting much, I opened this wine tonight as a cellar defender. Too bad I didn't hold on to it. It is going to get better over the next 2-3 years. At my club discount, this wine is tempting to repurchase at $63. At $75 retail, not so much. (89 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 12, 2009 09:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 08, 2009
It got a little cold at Butterdragon Tuesday morning
Posted by matchvineyards at December 08, 2009 11:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 07, 2009
Tasting 2007 Adelsheim Pinot Gris Willamette Valley
- 2007 Adelsheim Pinot Gris Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11/29/2009)
What a fun little wine! This is like a tropical cocktail: a little sweet, banana, lychee, and coconut. Not cloying, stays light on its feet. $35 from a local wine list indicates that it can be had for a really attractive price retail. Would make a great crowd pleaser to serve passed at a party. (85 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 07, 2009 07:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 06, 2009
Fine Dine and Wine at Eleven Madison Park (NYC)
Great restaurants in New York City?!? Who knew? Just kidding, of course. Other cities have their stars, but The Big Apple is a whole galaxy of epicurean super novae. That’s one of the main reasons why I visit The City: I love to eat.
“The City” is not to be confused with “The City” that one means when talking about San Francisco. Residents of both believe their hometown is THE ONE that deserves the capitalization. Everywhere else is just a city.
The other night we had the pleasure of dining at Eleven Madison Park. The space is lovely and service was attentive, but not obtrusive. I kept wondering how my water glass and bread plate got refilled without me noticing. It just seemed to keep happening like some sort of Hanukkah miracle.
The amuse bouche was great. I wish I could remember the French name for it but it apparently meant soup. It was a frothy, artichoke cream with pear oil and a few caviar eggs at the bottom. Sounds bizarre I know, but I loved it.
Appetizers:
Di Palo Ricotta – Gnocchi with Violet Artichokes, Taggiasca Olives and Bacon
Hawaiian Prawns – Roulade with Avocado, Lime and Yogurt
Entrees:
Four Story Hill Farm Suckling Pig – Roasted with Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprouts, Pickled Plums and Amaretti
Millbrook Farms Venison – Herb Roasted with Glazed Bosc Pear, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Bacon
Everything was delicious and beautifully presented, but if it all sounds heavy to you, you’re right. Dining out a fancy NY restaurant like Eleven Madison is not for the faint of heart, stomach, or wallet. Three-Course Prix Fixe, two savory, one sweet is $88. An eleven course chef’s tasting menu is $175. A “Taste of Autumn” seven course menu is $125.
The wine list was impressively broad but also had some impressive price tags. Staying under $100 per bottle was not an easy thing to do, but we did it. Kudos to the sommelier who treated our "cheap" bottles as respectfully and professionally as he would if they cost 4 times as much.
- 2007 Failla (Failla Jordan) Pinot Noir Estate Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (11/23/2009)
Delicate strawberry fruit is currently dominated by bracing acidity. Elements of cinnamon and clove. This wine needs time but hints of really nice things to come. Blind, I would have guessed Oregon rather than Sonoma. $75 on tEleven Madison's wine list.(86 pts.) - 2006 Domaine Jean-Michel Gaunoux Meursault Les Terres Blanches - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (11/23/2009)
Clean and fresh, light on the palate with green apple, stone, and lemon zest. Interesting minerality. $95 on Eleven Madison's wine list.(88 pts.) - Posted from CellarTracker
This kind of dining can be fun, but Sasha’s and my preferences run more towards ethnic foods, particularly asian influenced cuisine. We tried two such places during our short stay in Manhattan. Both were highly recommended to us by locals and Zagat's guide. I won’t be doing a separate blog entry for Bar Bao or Shun Lee Palace but while both were okay, they were not as good as we’re used to back in the Bay Area. In my opinion, while Manhattan may be #1 overall in dining destinations, other cities including San Francisco and Vancouver have it beat on Asian fare. Feel free to argue and/or post suggestions that may change my mind. I’d love some more great options in NYC.
Posted by matchvineyards at December 06, 2009 12:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 05, 2009
Tasting 2005 Papapietro Perry Zinfandel Elsbree Vineyard
- 2005 Papapietro Perry Zinfandel Elsbree Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/4/2009)
I opened this to compare to a recent 2005 Papapietro Perry Pauline's Vineyard Zin which I wasn't too wild about.This wine was also a bit of a disappointment. Another Cellartracker TN said that they would have guessed this as a Pinot Noir. I was thinking the same thing! It possessed an overbearing stemmy green character that I associate with young Oregon and Burgundy. In Pinot, that's not a bad thing. It's a signal to hold, but I can't say where this Russian River Valley Zin is going. Additional flavors of Christmas fruitcake with sour cherries, pine needles, and a hint of sage. A hot nose that also shows some sulfur. Light in body and a rather thin mouthfeel. Hold? Hurry up and drink? I really couldn't say but since I have one bottle of the the Pauline's and one of the Elsbree left and they're obviously not wonderful now, I'll wait and see if a few years in the cellar rounds them out. Next time, I will also pair with a tomato sauce. (83 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 05, 2009 01:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 04, 2009
Quick sushi recommendation: Sanraku (SF)
Looking for sushi around San Francisco's Union Square? We really enjoyed Sanraku last night. The sushi was fresh and creative. The service was outstanding with servers ready with thoughtful and useful recommendations. Our server was particularly helpful with her knowledge of the varied and fairly priced sake list. The wine choices, while few, were respectable, especially considering that often wine options are an afterthought in sushi restaurants.
The picture above (sorry for the poor quality, blame my phone) is their Harvest Celebration platter which is available only a few weeks a year. At $37, it's expensive for six pieces of sushi but it was delicious and is a work of art on the table.
I recommend making a reservation. The Sutter Street space is small and it was packed on a Thursday night. They also have locations in the Metreon and Four Seasons Hotel.
Sanraku
704 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
415-771-0803
Posted by matchvineyards at December 04, 2009 08:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 03, 2009
Holiday Offer #3 - I've pried some 02 Butterdragon out of my family's clutches
It was our very first release. It was dedicated to my late father-in-law. We started with 500 cases but only a few are left which we've been storing for personal use. It hasn't been available to the public for years, but I've managed to grab 10 cases for this offer. I'm pleased to make this final holiday offer a rerelease of our 2002 Match Vineyards Butterdragon Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.
Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV was "completely blown away" by this wine and scored it 96+.
Wine Spectator Magazine said the 2002 Butterdragon Hill is "[r]emarkably plush and opulent, impeccably balanced, with rich, soothing layers of ripe currant, blueberry, blackberry and plum, scents of cedar, anise, herb and dusty berry. The tannins are ripe and polished and the finish sails on and on."
We just say yummy.
With the exception of our personal library, the initial release of this wine sold out at $72 a bottle. We are offering these 10 cases at our new, lower price of $60. Plus, for shipments of six bottles or more, we'll pay for shipping. Eligible repeat customers may use their individual discount. This offer expires midnight PST 12/4/2009.
Posted by matchvineyards at December 03, 2009 10:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Tasting 2005 Papapietro Perry Zinfandel Pauline's Vineyard
- 2005 Papapietro Perry Zinfandel Pauline's Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (11/17/2009)
Light in color and in body. Typical Zin character with brambly berry flavor and zesty black pepper, without being overbearing despite alcohol above 15%. Still, the wine comes across as uninteresting and while adequate, it doesn't show cause for pause. I have one more bottle that in my opinion I should drink sooner rather than later. (84 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 03, 2009 09:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Tasting 1970 Château Kirwan
- 1970 Château Kirwan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (11/27/2009)
This bottle was from the collection left to my wife and her sister by their late father, a man with excellent taste in Bordeaux. However, we've been running at somewhere around 1/2 the bottles being just shadows of what they must have been in their prime. We try to keep our hopes under control when cracking one. The cork broke as we attempted to remove it but we were able to extract it with an Ah-So opener. We gently decanted just a few minutes prior to serving. The color was amazingly youthful for a wine about to celebrate its 40th birthday with a pale crimson body and just slight bricking on the edge. Initial aromas reminded me of walking in to an old library full of leather bound, dusty books. After about 5 minutes, a lovely, delicate raspberry and mint showed itself with a finish of mushroom, soy, and oiled leather. The charm was short-lived with the glory fading within 30 minutes, but what a wonderful half hour that was. Aged Bordeaux may not make the biggest splash, but it definitely gives pause for thought on the intricacies of the wine and sharing memories of the vintage that was and the one who collected it. It's like finding a good book in that old, dusty library and being taken to another place for a while. You eventually must put the book down and return to your surroundings, but for a brief time, an 88 point wine becomes a 98 point experience. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted by matchvineyards at December 03, 2009 08:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 02, 2009
Holiday Special #2 - GaryVee said 93. So will we.
Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV scored our 2005 Butterdragon Hill 93 points when I was a guest on the WLTV Thunder Show. We're not big in to points, but 93 sounds good to us, so for this Holiday Special we're offering magnums of 2005 Match Vineyards Butterdragon Hill Cabernet Sauvignon for $93. That's $67 off the original release price!
Tasting notes on Cellartracker.com indicate that with a few hours in the decanter, this big bottle will be a great addition to your holiday table.
This offer expires Midnight PST on 12/4/09 or until the small supply is gone.
No additional discounts apply.
Posted by matchvineyards at December 02, 2009 04:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 01, 2009
Holiday Special #1
We're going to do a little test of social media. Let's see what kind of response we get to some very special offers which last only a extremely limited time. These deals will be promoted via Twitter, our Facebook fan page, and Facebook advertising. The rest is up to you. Please spread the joy.
Holiday Special #1: three 2004 Butterdragon Hill for the price of two AND free ground shipping. That works out to $40 bucks a bottle delivered to your door, BUT it only lasts until midnight PST on Friday, 12/4/2009. Orders placed now will be delivered prior to the holidays.
If you'd like to know how the 2004 Butterdragon is drinking, check it out on Cellartracker.com
Limit 4 three packs per customer.
Eligible repeat customers will receive their appropriate discount as well.
Posted by matchvineyards at December 01, 2009 04:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
