This is what we drank to celebrate Little N turning 4:
2002 Robert Biale Winery Zinfandel Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso $36
A ripe, racy, full-throttle style, with intense rich blackberry, cranberry, sage, cedar and spice, showing some heat on the finish. (87pts WS)
I can't put all the wines in order because there were so many of them. This one we drank somewhere around bottle 6 or 8. I listed it first because I was so impressed with what a great job they did with Zinfandel. If you go to their site, you read the whole story about this family's long dedication to raising Zin and it is pretty damned impressive. I know that Zin is the hot thing right now (no, not Pinot, that's just a side effect from the movie) but I am almost always disappointed by Zins because the winemakers try to make it into a Cab or a Pinot in an effort to market easily. This wine rocked (an 87, my ass) and now we just have to figure out how to get more.
2001 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve $16
Firm, with a lovely bead of ripe currant, blueberry and sweet spice flavor coursing through a long, lively finish. Tannins are nicely polished and the fruit prevails against oaky character on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. (92 pts WS)
See, I bought three bottles figuring to take two into the party. Last year's B-day spectacle did not involve much drinking and I knew that LJR would be a very generous hostess and provide really good wines (read on) but I was in a mood to drink and it isn't fair to make anyone subsidize that. 23 minutes later these two bottles were gone. With good reason, this is a very tasty wine that pleases all the nice parts of your mouth. The third bottle came out during the magic show and I drank a good part of it myself, making note to order a couple bottles more.
2001 Markham Merlot Napa Valley $23
Firm tannins and a green edge take away from the riper currant and tobacco flavors, giving it a chewy texture, with a hint of coffee and leather. Better than previously reviewed. (87pts WS)
What the hell did they write in the first review? This and the Zin both got an 87- this one is an 87. But, it is also better than the current review. It's a bit chewy, sure, but that was an intent of this style and they did a really good job of, I think. The consensus around the table was that it was a fine glass of wine.
2002 Isole e Olena "Cepparello", Tuscany $23.95
Cepparello is somewhat unusual for a Super Tuscan, in that is it comprised of 100% Sangiovese. The wine was aged for 14 months in barriques, one third of which was new. This is a beautiful effort in a difficult vintage, marked by complexity and purity. Notes of black cherries, plums and leather are framed by slightly austere tannins, making this ideal for decanting for at least a few hours. The wine will continue to improve for another 7-10 years. (K&L)
Yeah, I'd been doing really good not preaching about the wines, focusing instead on the weather, the kids, not looking up Christin's cooter . . . all the things normal people do at a party. When I cracked this bottle I quickly said that it was a "Super Tuscan" and J'que looked at me like I was making up words again. But, I'm getting better. Once I realized that I'd already taken a big inhale and was ready to explain why this was a "Super Tuscan" rather than just calling it a Chianti I stopped myself, took a quick glance past London and France, and just said, "It's a big Sangiovese*." See, much better.
*Someone working on TypePad's piece-of-crap spellcheck thinks it's funny to offer the word hangover as a correction for Sangiovese. Hey, AssHat, instead of stupid little jokes how about adding such useful words as Napa and Sonoma.
2000 Isole e Olena "Collezione De Marchi", Cabernet Sauvignon $39
92 points Wine Spectator: "Ripe and slightly decadent on the nose but soft, round and velvety. Very pretty and enjoyable already. Got to love this. Better than the 1999. Best after 2005." (10/04) 90 points Daniel Thomases writing for the Wine Advocate: "The 2000 Cabernet Collezione De Marchi, with intense aromas of cassis, peppercorns, thyme, and rosemary, is round and elegant on the palate but with plenty of force and length and fine graphite and mineral notes to supplement the ripe black currant fruit.(K&L)
Yes, I do love it. I loved it a lot. First, because I got it for $24 through my wine club. Second, because it is an earthy, minerally wine that is a style I love. Don't think the others were as impressed as I was, but they were as loaded so that evened everything out, right? Huh?
We also drank a couple of bottles of the 47 Pound Rooster, a magnum of YellowTail (I think) and a Rosemont whose label I never saw. Next year I'm getting Little N a really nice bottle opener for her birthday. And maybe a decanter.
Go in Peace
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