Tasting Notes 12/16/11

SPECIAL HOLIDAY TASTING EVENT, 12/16/11

CLOUDY BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011

Continuing from last week:  On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me eight maids a-milking.  Wow.  Eight girls are much better than all those birds.  Thanks, Honey!  But I’m not drinking the milk; I’d rather have this wine.  Offering “intense notes of gooseberries, passion fruit, grapefruit zest and grass with a hint of fresh herbs,” it’s crisp and concentrated, with a long, tropical fruit laced finish.  90 points Robert Parker.  $21.97.

FRANK FAMILY CHARDONNAY 2010

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave me nine ladies dancing.  I’m liking this new trend.  And after a couple glasses of this their dancing should get even more interesting.  Aromas of apple, pear, vanilla, caramel and hazelnut explode from the glass, followed by rich, fresh flavors of apple pie and lemon drop riding a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.  91 points Tobin Bros.  $27.97.

SIDURI PINOT NOIR 2009

On the tenth day of Christmas my dear Wendy sent me ten lords a-leaping.  Hmm, this is a step backwards.  I’m thinking the lords are more for her than me.  But I dressed them up as butlers and made ‘em serve me this wine.  This is “firm and well-structured, with a complex band of wild berry and blackberry, spice and floral notes.”  It’s full-bodied and shows depth, richness, and nuance.  92 points Wine Spectator.  $29.97.

ARGIANO BRUNELLO 2005

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent me eleven pipers piping.  They turned out to be bagpipers, and I wasn’t having that.  So I traded them in for a case of this.  It’s full-bodied, with grilled steak and ripe plum aromas, round, polished tannins and very pretty fruit on the finish that is accented by notes of pipe tobacco, licorice and flowers.  90 points Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator.  $44.97.

PAHLMEYER NAPA VALLEY RED 2007

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me twelve drummers drumming.  Better than bagpipes, but still.  12 drummers?  So I exchanged them too and got a case of this, which is “sensational, with an extraordinary bouquet of subtle smoked meats, oak, wild flowers, blueberries, blackberries, coffee and cassis.  Super-rich and full-bodied with noticeable, but stunningly sweet tannins, it possesses a rare minerality and definition.”  96 points Robert Parker.  $99.97.

ABSTRACT BY ORIN SWIFT 2010

They say there are only 12 days of Christmas, but Wendy is an out of the box thinker, so on day 13 she gave me this wine.  I think she’s finally figured me out.  A blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Syrah, this begins with aromas of crushed black fuits and bing cherry.  A mouth coating entry leads nicely into a midpalate with excellent structure and balanced acidity.  Ripe cherry and strawberry dominate the long, clean finish.  91 points Jim Tobin.  $25.97.

JOHN DUVAL ENTITY SHIRAZ 2008

Finally, on the fourteenth day of Christmas, my true love poured me a glass of this incredible Shiraz.  I love her.  John Duval was formerly the winemaker for Penfolds and was responsible for the iconic (and gigantically expensive) Grange – one of  the world’s finest wines.  This effort is intense.  A highly expressive and complex bouquet of black fruits, licorice and oak is followed by a full-bodied palate, with notes of dark chocolate, anise, and spice joining the rich fruit.  Gorgeous now, it can also be cellared for many years.  96 points James Halliday.  94 points Robert Parker.  93 points Stephen Tanzer.  $37.97.