After my uneventful tasting flight I decided to upgrade to a full glass rather than attempt another tasting.
I settled on the 2009 Long Shadows Feather which is a Washington Cabernet made by Napa Valley veteran Randy Dunn.
The front palate explodes with earth, currant and tabacco flavors. Well integrated tannin pull the earth notes and raspberry flavors to the mid palate. Th mid palate has a complex dryness which is unique.
The finish is long, complex and strong. The dark fruits and tannin coat the entire mouth adding to the 'bigness' of the wine.
This is a great representation of Washington Cabernet and the top shelf wines that can created from top vineyards.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Airport Flight
Early for my flight in Seattle I had time to stop into Vino Volo to sample a flight called 'beyond Bordeaux'. These types of flights are always interesting as it typically removes me from my comfort zone.
The first wine was Hence Cellars 2009 Petit Verdot. The wine was deep purple. The front palate gives notes of blackberry but does not much else in the way mid palate or finish. The wine was uninspiring in many aspects that offered so sense of place or purpose.
The second wine was the 2010 Bodega Amalaya Gran Cortex Malbec. The wine had notes of blueberry on the nose prior to the first sip which was rewarding. The issue front palate is a mixture of blueberry and blackberry with a touch of sweetness.
The mid palate gives way to slight vanilla with a touch of structure. The finish is mid length, more vanilla spice but with limited complexity.
The final wine of the flight was the 2011 Tamarack Celllars Cabernet Franc. The front palate has boisenberry and blueberry notes typical of Washington wines I have had from the Columbia Valley. The mid palate has firm tannin and slight apricot notes balances by light oak. The finish is mid length that coats the tongue and offers subtle complexity. Softer tannin would of helped showcase the fruit notes of the wine
The flight was diverse but I found all the wines uninspiring.
The first wine was Hence Cellars 2009 Petit Verdot. The wine was deep purple. The front palate gives notes of blackberry but does not much else in the way mid palate or finish. The wine was uninspiring in many aspects that offered so sense of place or purpose.
The second wine was the 2010 Bodega Amalaya Gran Cortex Malbec. The wine had notes of blueberry on the nose prior to the first sip which was rewarding. The issue front palate is a mixture of blueberry and blackberry with a touch of sweetness.
The mid palate gives way to slight vanilla with a touch of structure. The finish is mid length, more vanilla spice but with limited complexity.
The final wine of the flight was the 2011 Tamarack Celllars Cabernet Franc. The front palate has boisenberry and blueberry notes typical of Washington wines I have had from the Columbia Valley. The mid palate has firm tannin and slight apricot notes balances by light oak. The finish is mid length that coats the tongue and offers subtle complexity. Softer tannin would of helped showcase the fruit notes of the wine
The flight was diverse but I found all the wines uninspiring.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Scarecrow's little brother
Powerful, elegant, structure, depth and complexity are all words to describe the 2009 M. Etain.
The M. Etain is the second label from Scarecrow which has become a cult phenomenon only behind Screaming Eagle and Harlan.
The 2009 M. Etain scored 93 points from Wine Spectator.
The wine was decanted 3 hours before the first glass was poured. The color is a deep opaque purple.
The front palate has firm structure with dark fruit notes. The mid palate gives way to well pronounced tannin, slight chocolate and hints of raspberry. The finish is extremely long and seems to hit every layer of the tongue. There is also a slight hint of vanilla with the finish.
This may be the top wine consumed of 2013 for this reviewer.
Recommendation- M. Etain is only available via the wine list and currently via the secondary market. The initial list price is $125 and it is worth the price for that special occasion. A remarkable wine from an amazing producer.
The M. Etain is the second label from Scarecrow which has become a cult phenomenon only behind Screaming Eagle and Harlan.
The 2009 M. Etain scored 93 points from Wine Spectator.
The wine was decanted 3 hours before the first glass was poured. The color is a deep opaque purple.
The front palate has firm structure with dark fruit notes. The mid palate gives way to well pronounced tannin, slight chocolate and hints of raspberry. The finish is extremely long and seems to hit every layer of the tongue. There is also a slight hint of vanilla with the finish.
This may be the top wine consumed of 2013 for this reviewer.
Recommendation- M. Etain is only available via the wine list and currently via the secondary market. The initial list price is $125 and it is worth the price for that special occasion. A remarkable wine from an amazing producer.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
National Chardonnay Day - May 23rd 2013
May 23rd is national Chardonnay Day. Chardonnay, for all the naysayers, is still the number one wine varietal in the US in terms of acres planted and market share. Due to the large amount of Chardonnay produced there is bound to be poorly made wines. Over-ripe, over-oaked and buttery Chardonnay's are common to every wine region in the country I have visited. But there are many wineries that still select from ideal vineyards to produce a complex wine worthy of the your cellar.
One of my favorite produces of Chardonnay is Fantesca Estate located on Spring Mountain. They source their Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley and is made by Heidi Barrett. As far as I am aware this is the only Chardonnay that Heidi makes in the Valley.
The 2011 Fantesca Chardonnay is a signature Chardonnay. It is medium bodied, not over powering but extremely complex and shows remarkable depth. Apple and melon notes greet the front palate. The mid palate shows a slight hint of oak but is well balanced with the acid and fruit. The mid palate into finish shows light to medium minerality which keep the wine from being over powering.
A perfect wine to pair with seafood and lighter meat proteins.
Recommendation - 2011 Fantesca Chardonnay is a true expression of remarkable Chardonnay that can be made from the Russian River Valley but the price is a bit high ($75). Well worth a few bottles to keep for special warm weather celebrations.
One of my favorite produces of Chardonnay is Fantesca Estate located on Spring Mountain. They source their Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley and is made by Heidi Barrett. As far as I am aware this is the only Chardonnay that Heidi makes in the Valley.
The 2011 Fantesca Chardonnay is a signature Chardonnay. It is medium bodied, not over powering but extremely complex and shows remarkable depth. Apple and melon notes greet the front palate. The mid palate shows a slight hint of oak but is well balanced with the acid and fruit. The mid palate into finish shows light to medium minerality which keep the wine from being over powering.
A perfect wine to pair with seafood and lighter meat proteins.
Recommendation - 2011 Fantesca Chardonnay is a true expression of remarkable Chardonnay that can be made from the Russian River Valley but the price is a bit high ($75). Well worth a few bottles to keep for special warm weather celebrations.
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