During my recent visit to the NW, Seattle Winebrats (SWBs) gathered for the occasion and tasted through a dozen old vine wines (same theme as TNTs party a couple of weeks ago). Though there were at least a dozen wines tasted at both parties, not a single wine was duplicated. I tried to find the Tschark, the Milwaukee group’s favorite, to share with the SWBs, but with no luck. Checked four places and the distributor list and learned it’s not being sold in Seattle. I’ll have to ship some to you for your next tasting.
Before getting into the wines, I just have to say how fantastic it was to be reunited with everyone and to share great friendships with wine-lovers in two great cities, Milwaukee, and Seattle. In addition to some great wines, a lot of fantastic food was also shared, thanks to our gourmet cooks in the group. Four stars all around for Leslie’s decadent hand-made ravioli stuffed with chanterelles and drenched in butter with hazel nuts and sage. The same goes for Joy’s chicken adobo, Tammy’s Spanish meatballs, Dmitri’s bruschetta, Karen’s stuffed mushrooms, and Steph’s fig balls. How can I not love these folks?? Thanks again to D&J for hosting at their beautiful place “in the woods.”
Tasting notes in order of tasting (the food and wine stains on my hand-written notes are classic). Eleven tasters scored wines on a four-star system, with 44 points being the highest score. Top three rated wines shown in bold:
1. Lake Sonoma 2005 Old Vine Zin, Saini Farms Dry Creek Valley (Score = 31)
Beautiful new world wine with nice tannins and finish. Perfect with the mushrooms. Very well balanced. $25
2. St. Francis 2005 Old Vine Zin, Sonoma County (36.5)
Dk cherry, fruity, ripe, cocoa, smooth, well-balanced. Not as long a finish as the first wine. Cherry on the nose. Much bolder and more concentrated. 15.5% alc. $20
3. Abacela 2000 Tempranillo, Umpqua Cuvee, Southern OR (24)
This wine doesn’t qualify as old vine, but we scored it any way. Sour cherry. Short finish. Tasted more like pinot noir. 13.6% alc. $20
4. Glaetzer 2005 Bishop Shiraz, Barossa Valley (41)
The favorite of the evening, inky, jammy, big, sweet nose, dk cherry, ripe, marion berry, licorice on the finish. Regular price is $30, but DK got it on sale for $17—EXCELLENT VALUE!! He sent two bottles home with JJ to share with the Milwaukee Winebrats :) Thanks DK! If you go shopping for this, beware the 2006 vintage—DK’s wine guy says it is not as good…
5. Bogle Vineyards 2005 Phantom Old Vine Zin/Mouvedre/Sirah (their spelling), California (29)
Bl cherry, anise. $20
6. Rotllan Torra 2001 Reserve, Priorat, Spain (26.5)
Elder berry, pre-Cambrian chalk (things are possibly beginning to decline), minerally, seems younger than a 2001, pruny, tart, high in acid, earthy, detecting a little Brettanomyces (Brett. for short)*. This wine greatly improved after it had breathed for at least an hour. $24.99
*Bacteria that live in dirty wooden barrels and can infect wine with an unclean, mousey flavor. (It usually reminds me of an old, used, smelly band-aid). An attribute more of old world wines, Americans tend to be more sensitive to this.
7. Gundlach Bundschu 2005 Merlot, Rhine Farm Vineyard, CA (29)
Softens as it opens. $27
8. Root 1 2006 Cab., Colchagua Valley, Chile (29.5)
Smokey, orange. $13
9. Clot de Lloum, 2004, Cotes du Roussillon Villages (somewhere in the Rhone) (28)
Conifer sap notes, Brett., Alpine forest, very concentrated, pine needles, very Fr. in character. $12
10. Luis Canas 2001 Rioja (30)
For some reason, I can’t remember why, this wine garnered a lot of discussion… some notes include: one-dimensional, caramel w/coffee, dusty, hint of chocolate, finish a little short, or, maybe its medium. Hermoso!!?! $31
11. Rincon Vineyard 2002 Pinot Noir, Talley Vineyards, Arroyo Grande, CA (28)
Good…really good… (uhm—I forgot to get the price)
12. Tatrarra 2006 Shiraz, Heathcote, Australia (27.5)
This wine inspired a spontaneous litany of political slurs, the least helpful of which was, “tastes like a hockey Mom!” Other notes: big and bold, too acidic and high tannins, yet someone was able to glean some dk cherry (go figure…) Price unknown.
As the volume of the music increased and the dancing ensued, the quality of the tasting notes was deteriorating precipitously, so the scribe set down her pen…and joined in the fun! I love you guys and gals—see you next year!
Before getting into the wines, I just have to say how fantastic it was to be reunited with everyone and to share great friendships with wine-lovers in two great cities, Milwaukee, and Seattle. In addition to some great wines, a lot of fantastic food was also shared, thanks to our gourmet cooks in the group. Four stars all around for Leslie’s decadent hand-made ravioli stuffed with chanterelles and drenched in butter with hazel nuts and sage. The same goes for Joy’s chicken adobo, Tammy’s Spanish meatballs, Dmitri’s bruschetta, Karen’s stuffed mushrooms, and Steph’s fig balls. How can I not love these folks?? Thanks again to D&J for hosting at their beautiful place “in the woods.”
Tasting notes in order of tasting (the food and wine stains on my hand-written notes are classic). Eleven tasters scored wines on a four-star system, with 44 points being the highest score. Top three rated wines shown in bold:
1. Lake Sonoma 2005 Old Vine Zin, Saini Farms Dry Creek Valley (Score = 31)
Beautiful new world wine with nice tannins and finish. Perfect with the mushrooms. Very well balanced. $25
2. St. Francis 2005 Old Vine Zin, Sonoma County (36.5)
Dk cherry, fruity, ripe, cocoa, smooth, well-balanced. Not as long a finish as the first wine. Cherry on the nose. Much bolder and more concentrated. 15.5% alc. $20
3. Abacela 2000 Tempranillo, Umpqua Cuvee, Southern OR (24)
This wine doesn’t qualify as old vine, but we scored it any way. Sour cherry. Short finish. Tasted more like pinot noir. 13.6% alc. $20
4. Glaetzer 2005 Bishop Shiraz, Barossa Valley (41)
The favorite of the evening, inky, jammy, big, sweet nose, dk cherry, ripe, marion berry, licorice on the finish. Regular price is $30, but DK got it on sale for $17—EXCELLENT VALUE!! He sent two bottles home with JJ to share with the Milwaukee Winebrats :) Thanks DK! If you go shopping for this, beware the 2006 vintage—DK’s wine guy says it is not as good…
5. Bogle Vineyards 2005 Phantom Old Vine Zin/Mouvedre/Sirah (their spelling), California (29)
Bl cherry, anise. $20
6. Rotllan Torra 2001 Reserve, Priorat, Spain (26.5)
Elder berry, pre-Cambrian chalk (things are possibly beginning to decline), minerally, seems younger than a 2001, pruny, tart, high in acid, earthy, detecting a little Brettanomyces (Brett. for short)*. This wine greatly improved after it had breathed for at least an hour. $24.99
*Bacteria that live in dirty wooden barrels and can infect wine with an unclean, mousey flavor. (It usually reminds me of an old, used, smelly band-aid). An attribute more of old world wines, Americans tend to be more sensitive to this.
7. Gundlach Bundschu 2005 Merlot, Rhine Farm Vineyard, CA (29)
Softens as it opens. $27
8. Root 1 2006 Cab., Colchagua Valley, Chile (29.5)
Smokey, orange. $13
9. Clot de Lloum, 2004, Cotes du Roussillon Villages (somewhere in the Rhone) (28)
Conifer sap notes, Brett., Alpine forest, very concentrated, pine needles, very Fr. in character. $12
10. Luis Canas 2001 Rioja (30)
For some reason, I can’t remember why, this wine garnered a lot of discussion… some notes include: one-dimensional, caramel w/coffee, dusty, hint of chocolate, finish a little short, or, maybe its medium. Hermoso!!?! $31
11. Rincon Vineyard 2002 Pinot Noir, Talley Vineyards, Arroyo Grande, CA (28)
Good…really good… (uhm—I forgot to get the price)
12. Tatrarra 2006 Shiraz, Heathcote, Australia (27.5)
This wine inspired a spontaneous litany of political slurs, the least helpful of which was, “tastes like a hockey Mom!” Other notes: big and bold, too acidic and high tannins, yet someone was able to glean some dk cherry (go figure…) Price unknown.
As the volume of the music increased and the dancing ensued, the quality of the tasting notes was deteriorating precipitously, so the scribe set down her pen…and joined in the fun! I love you guys and gals—see you next year!
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