WTN: Cru Beaujolais and Spring Mountain Cabernet

2005 Paul Janin & Fils "Clos du Tremblay" Cuvee Traditonelle Moulin-A-Vent. This is the dark, ferrous side of Beaujolais. I'm actually thinking this was somewhat "shut down" as it was not yielding a lot of fruit. No sign of tca, either, so I just think this bottling is a very, very structured Cru Beaujo. Color was almost black in the glass. Reticent nose. The wine showed earth! earth! earth! and a very fine savory ferrous minerality. Enjoyed by all, but there were definitely some drying tannins on the finish. Still...who needs fruit? 87 points-but not if you are looking for berry fruit! At least not right now.

2006 Boeger Barbera (El Dorado County). Maybe I just don't like Barbera very much, because everyone else was raving about this affordable bottling. I found it too sweet and for some reason too much vanilla. I much prefer their blend, the Boeger Meritage. Too much California wine tastes like this. 79.

2005 Musante Atillio's Blend Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. What happened here? I LIKED the 2004 vintage of this wine. Bleh. Sweet sweet sweet oak soup. 75 points

[b]2004 Cain Concept (Cab (61%) Cab Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot (11%!)) [/b] Now this was more like it. California comes through. Very dark color, with a ruby rim. Earthy nose, with herbal notes. Much "drier" and less fruity than the Musante, and the oak is better managed. Plenty of fruit, but it is balanced with that herbaceousness I like in Cabs. Not exactly green (this was a hot vintage) but fresher than many Napa and Sonoma Cabs. Sadly, this is also an EXPENSIVE wine at $70, so I appreciate the generosity of friends who purchased it for the table. 91 points.

[David M. Bueker]

I don't know Janin, but somehow a Beaujolais with no fruit defeats the purpose of Beaujolais IMO.

I don't know Janin, but somehow a Beaujolais with no fruit defeats the purpose of Beaujolais IMO.

Maybe so, maybe so. Still...I have a liking for minerally, earthy wines and we all drank this bottle up. I am guessing this was a dumb bottle or going through a closed phase. There were California wines with plenty of fruit that evening, but they were awful

I also forgot to post a brief note on the 2007 Altozano Verdelho (with 5% Sauvignon Blanc) that opened the evening. Very nice minerally, savory, good acid, nice fruit but not fruity like a Cali or New Zealand white. A hint of earthy funkyness that I liked. I am finding that I like Spanish whites more than I like Spanish reds.