With corn meal crust pizzas (mushroom and goat cheese/tomato)
2001 Quercetto Chianti Classico Riserva. A very nice Chianti. Good color-black with purple and red highlights. Nice cherry fruit, tobacco, good acidity. Not super-exciting, but lovely with the pizza! 15/20
But...the Chianti was by consensus blown away by the second wine: 2002 Mas de Gourgonnier Reserve du Mas Bain de Provence.
I am loving more and more the wines of southern France. This typical blend had all the savory herbal, olive, raspberry, licorice notes I love more and more, along with good acidity. A lovely wine 17.5/20+
At luch today, I also sampled a flight of 2003 Waypoint Cabernets (and one Cab Franc) produced for Bounty Hunter Restaurant, Wine Bar, and Wine Store in downtown Napa. These wines are produced at a custom crush facility nearby. No real notes, but:
Dr. Crane Vineyard (St. Helena) Cabernet Sauvignon was just a beautiful wine. My friend who I did the bicycle ride with was correct when he noticed how balanced the wine was. A whiff of green pepper on the nose, but just enough to add character, not marr the wine. Oak was relatively restrained as well-the vanilla is there, but only as a far in the background grace note. Nice red fruit-not over-ripe, raspberry and cassis. Touch of leather and tobacco. What sold me on the Dr. Crane was the wallop of delicious, mouthwatering acidity. I might rank this, today, an 18-outstandingly elegant Cab.
To Kalon Vineyard (Oakville) Cabernet Sauvignon. Darker and richer. Interesting bitter chocolate note that "wacks" you palate in an intriguing way. Darker and richer fruit. Less acid and less green pepper today. A lovely wine, but not quite as balanced, today, with food, as the Dr. Crane. 16.5/20
To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Franc. As one would "expect" the green pepper is more evident on the nose, but not dominant on the palate. This wine seemed "harder" and firmer than the Cab Sauvs. Still, I enjoyed the nice black fruit with just a hint of oak and green pepper on the palate. Interestingly enough, in the Spring, this was my favorite of the three! 15/20