Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc 2006-Very nice Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of different things going on-not really "New Zealand" in style, but bright tropical fruit, peaches, citrus, lime, and just a tiny hint of French Oak to smooth things out. Definitely the best of thetasting. 31/2* I would buy this at $22.00
Cliff Lede 2004 Claret. I thought 2004 was a warm and rich year. While I don't like vanilla and over-ripe fruit, I really don't like dominant raw bell pepper either. I probably wouldn't buy this at $35. 2*
Cliff Lede Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon. Better-but still bell pepper. I actually preferred the 2003 bottling. Wierd given how cool 2003 was compared to 2004, and my experience at other wineries in the Stag's Leap area.. I might buy this to see what happens, but probably not at $48. 2-1/2*
Mini-rant: Cliff Lede now has DOUBLED their tasting fees. I can almost justify $20 to taste $150 Stag's Leap wines filled to the brim, but Cliff Lede is NOT Stag's Leap or Beaulieu Georges de la Tour.
Trefethan
Expensive tasting, but they are pouring 10 year old stuff, and I actually LIKED their wines, so...I'll forgive them the fees.
2005 Viognier. Very nice. No noticeable heat. Smooth, with tropical fruit and peaches and a very lovely and enjopyable mouth feel. I actually preferred this to the French Condrieu at twice the price!. I would and have bought this wine before at $30. 3/3.5*
1999 Reserve Cabernet. Trefethan has a "different" style than many Napa Cabs. You can tell it is a cooler climate and that they use a touch of American Oak. Still-no vanilla, and lots of interesting lean flavor profiles. The magazines pan Trefethan, but I like this leaner, even almost astringent style. No bell pepper, either, so the grapes are definitely ripe. Black fruit, with some tobacco and leather notes. This is aging nicely. Pricey at $150 for a magnum though, so I probably wouldn't spring for it at that price 3.5*
1998 Reserve Cabernet. The winemakers' notes stated the wine "survived" the monsoon year. I know '98s are dismissed, but I am finding many that I thoroguhly enjoy. This wine was singing tonight. Still the lean astringent (in a good way, though) Trefethan style, but there was a lot of things going on with savory tobacco and leather and herbal notes, along with the red and black fruits. This wine actually reminded me quite a bit of the 2000 Dominus I drank last week. Unfortunately, they recognize that they have a good thing going with this vintage, and the price is outrageous. If money were no object, I would buy a couple of bottles ($135+). Sadly, for less than that price I can buy a Wine of the Year for me (if not one of my favorites of all time) (Chateau l"Evangile Pomerol 1999). Still... very impressive 4*+
Groezingers Wine Shop in Yountville-the funnest, least snobby wine shop I've ever been to, had several very, very nice Chardonnays open. No real notes, but I really enjoyed the 2004 Fort Ross Chardonnay(4*), the 2005 Mount Eden Chardonnay (3.5*), the El Molino and a couple of others I dkidn't note. The 2004 Fort Ross remains one of my favorite Chardonnays. The 2005 was probably undergoing bottle shock or something, 'cause it was awful last fall...but the 2004 is just delicious.