Blind tasting notes:
2005 Sine Qua Non ‘The Petition’ – a 37% Viognier, 33% Roussanne, and 30% Chardonnay blend that had some colour, a warm tropical fruit nose, full on palate and lengthy finish. Very interesting, if puzzling to try to work out.
1989 La Conseillante – medium colour, paler edges, nose of mature fruit. I had to worry away at this one a bit as at first it seemed un-Bordeaux-like, but as it opened up it snapped into focus. Nice vanilla in the nose and some tobacco, some soft tannin on entry, then it tightened a bit toward the end, when the acidity came out. Ended up elegant. I got the year but not the producer. Nice wine!
1995 Cos d’Estournel – lots of colour, warm toasty herbal nose, some ripeness, low acidity. Very tasty now but will last a long time. Nice to see I have some of this.
1998 Ornellaia – dark youthful wine with sweet fruit, lots of tannin and cinnamon in the finish. Nice.
2003 Matthews Cellars Conner Lee Vd. Cabernet Franc (Columbia Valley) – dark, quite a sweet nose with concentrated fruit, not a hint of any greenness, also sweet in the mouth with some oak showing up late in the game. Very interesting wine. I wish we were making cab franc like this in BC!
1996 Dominus – this one blew me away because I am a big fan of Dominus, and have done many verticals. This example showed none of the French style (this is one of the few American wines that can sometimes pass in a Bordeaux tasting). Dark, limpid red colour, faint hint of acetone at first in the nose, a bit of coffee and fruit in the nose, smooth on palate, ready to drink now and may improve, but so far t didn’t ring any Bordeaux chimes.
2003 Robert Foley Claret – first time I had tasted this Napa wine. Dark with a rich cocoa and jam nose, sweet and forward on palate, with good length, fine tannins and a bit of heat at the end.
2005 Arnot-Roberts Griffins Lair Syrah (Sonoma) – sweet pudding nose with spice, and later smoked bacon, medium bodied, a fair bit of soft tannin and pepper on palate and in the nose. The varietal was obvious but the source was not. The palate was consistent with old world while the nose said new world..
1999 Araujo Eisele Vd. Cabernet – good fruit and a sage and olive tapenade nose smooth and mellow in the mouth, tightening up toward the end. This wine closed down with air although licorice and cherry did develop in the nose with time.
2004 Mitolo GAM – dark purple wine with a big sweet nutmeg and blueberry nose that later showed some chocolate. Very smooth in the mouth, with soft tannin and a pleasant sweetness. Not over the top like some Australian Shiraz. No reason to wait on this, but certainly no rush either.
2001 Napa Valley Reserve – private Harlan project. Slight green in the nose mellow on palate, ready to drink and quiet smooth and pleasurable.
2005 California Cult Classics Cab - produced locally from Napa fruit (Ray Signorello consulted on this one). Mellow nose still with lots of tannin, not yet showing any complexity but promises to turn into something interesting.