Red Car Wine Co. Winery

• 

  August 2009

  Red Car Pinot Noir Boxcar 2006

  Snoothrank: Starting at $26^.50

  No written review

  Wine review by lisablair7

  
  

• July 2009

  To everyone that's been following these posts, this was the final leg of our journey. I really hope these posts were helpful and enjoyable. I know I had a great time reliving it all through my notes. And so unto the wineries... Trespass... Read moreTo everyone that's been following these posts, this was the final leg of our journey. I really hope these posts were helpful and enjoyable. I know I had a great time reliving it all through my notes. And so unto the wineries... Trespass http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Violentfix/Napa/DSC_0446.jpg I’m not a big fan of Cab Franc, or so I thought. After tasting through French Cab Franc and visiting the North fork of Long Island, I had pretty much decided that Cab Franc was not for me. Big, dark, funky beasts whose aromas reminded me of field latrines in the army… Good thing I didn’t let that deter me from visiting Trespass. What better way to experience Trespass than to complete the Summit Experience at Pride and then drive down that long twisting road to find yourself at a dirt path with a little sign swaying in the wind “Trespass”. Pulling up to see Donny sitting under an umbrella in the middle of a field with nothing but himself and his wines to show you that Trespass has something magnificent to offer is a little surreal. Unfortunately, my wife didn’t survive the tasting at Pride, followed by that twisting drive down spring mountain, she ended up spending the stop at Trespass in the car. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Violentfix/Napa/DSC_0449.jpg But that’s okay because this didn’t feel like a regular tasting, it was more like sitting around on a summer day with a buddy popping open some bottles. It was also a welcome change tasting Trespass Cab Franc after all the Merlot and Cab at Pride. Not to mention, Donny is great for hanging out with while drinking some wine. 2005 Cab Franc - Very tight at first but after about a 1/2 hour it was explosive dark fruit, forest floor and fresh baked bread (Yeah, I know that sounds odd but it smelled GOOD!). Clean and focus with great acidity. 2006 Cab Franc - Sweeter fruit on the nose, red. Brown sugar. Performed nicely in the mouth with ginger and darker fruits. A little tight on the finish but it's young. 2006 Rendezvous - Very expressive with tobacco, cinnamon and chocolate. Sour black cherry that turned sweet on the mid-palate. Rounder than the other wines with a lush fruity finish. 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Real tight but with the stuffing to grow into something real special. After this wine opened up a bit it showed a nose of rich raspberry preserves, new leather and olive (very nice). Still tight on the palate with streamlined core of rich dark fruit and a tannic bite. I think a little time will reveal something very special in this wine. In closing, I thoroughly enjoyed Trespass and I can't wait to spend some time with these bottles in my home where I can really watch them open up over time. Alpha Omega http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Violentfix/Napa/DSC_0450.jpg My entire trip through Napa one of the most frequently asked questions was “where are we going next?” Whenever I’d mention Alpha Omega, I’d receive a similar response. “Oh, I’ve heard really good things about Alpha Omega”. Well, I don’t know what they heard but I do know that what I tasted was sheer potential in a bottle. These last few days I’ve posted plenty of notes about incredible bottles of wine from people with an insatiable passion for making the best product they can but at Alpha Omega I felt all that, plus a sense of total determination. These may be the new kids on the block to some extent but what they’ve got cooking (or fermenting) in their winery is nothing short of spectacular. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Violentfix/Napa/DSC_0455.jpg I was met by, assistant wine maker, Henrik Poulsen in their tasting room. As we sampled each wine, Henrik would explain what their process was, why they went the way they did and how he felt about the finished product. It was amazing because there was no sales pitch, no glossing over, just total honesty and a genuine interest in what we thought about the wine. My opinion, Alpha Omega is using some of the best fruit in the valley to make wines styled in a way that you typically don’t find in the valley. These are not big, over the top Cabernets. They are graceful and elegant wines that I would want on my dinner table with a fine meal and especially in my cellar. Wines that I could see withstanding the test of time. Onto the wines. 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was a fresh and lively wine with peach nectar, wild flowers and spring air on the nose. On the palate it presented a zippy acidity and showed pear or granny smith with orange rind on the finish. Light, fresh and begging you to take another sip. 2006 Chardonnay - Lemon tart and pine nut on the nose, a bit toasty. Full with bright citrus on the palate. Not tiring in any way. A lasting fresh finish. 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon - A bit closed at first but showing tart Cherry, toast, spices and cedar box. The palate was full with dark cherry that’s round, sweet and expansive on the mid-palate but carried by a nice sharp acidity. 2006 Era - Layers on the nose with cherry liquor, cinnamon graham cracker, black licorice and a bit of oak. Big dark red fruit and spicy on the palate but streamlined by a great balance of acidity. Great mix for this big wine that keeps it fresh and elegant. Long finish. At this point Henrik took us into the winery to taste some of the 2007’s that have not yet been bottled. He also explained how important it was to them that these wines are bottled when they feel they are truly ready to hit the market. Look out, because the 2006 Cabs were good but the 2007’s… Outstanding! (I have limited notes because we were standing and walking.) 2007 Era - Red Raspberry jam, spicy and violet candies. Lip smacking, big dark fruit all framed by a vibrant juiciness that kept it fresh yet full. Long finish. I was however given the chance to spend some time with the 2007 Alpha Omega To-Kalon, OH BOY! Red Fruits, Raspberry, smoky cinnamon sugar, hints of vanilla. Vibrant Blueberry jam and currants on the palate with tobacco and chocolate. Blackberry, citrus finish. Long and elegant. Velvety tannin. The best 2007 I tasted on my trip, period. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Violentfix/Napa/DSC_0460.jpg And that was that. A gorgeous way to end our tasting trip. That night we had some local friends meet us at the hotel where we opened a number of bottles from our trip. Not only did I have a great time but I truly acquired a deep respect for the wineries and winemakers that I met. I will be adding many of these wines to my cellar over the following months and I can’t wait to have another chance to go back to Napa and do it all again. Thanks to everyone who recommended these places and a special thanks to Dan Petroski (Larkmead), Merrill Lindquist (EMH), Tim Bouchet (Pride), Don Gallagher (trespass), Jean Hoefliger and Henrik Poulsen (Alpha Omega) for taking the time and for making great wine. Hope you all enjoyed! Eric    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Napa Tasting Part 3 (Trespass... by Eric Guido

  
  
• 

  April 2009

  Cable Car Red

  Snoothrank:

  very nice table wine for the price

  Wine review by aamorgan

  
  

• January 2009

  I admit it; I love to go out for dinner.  I love it even more someone else pays.  So when it came time for the annual Loxton Cellars winery dinner, I made sure I was available.  I get the best of both worlds, I get to go to a good restaurant, the El Dorado Kitchen in the town of... Read moreI admit it; I love to go out for dinner.  I love it even more someone else pays.  So when it came time for the annual Loxton Cellars winery dinner, I made sure I was available.  I get the best of both worlds, I get to go to a good restaurant, the El Dorado Kitchen in the town of Sonoma and the winemaker paid. Not only did he pay, he pulled some wines from his personal collection to pair with what we were going to have.  In addition to great food, we were going to sample the great wines listed here: 2004 William Selyem Hawk Hill Chardonnay, 1992 Galah Sparkling Shiraz, 2002 Rochioli Estate Pinot, 1985 Bordeaux & 2006 Peller Estates Riesling Ice Wine. Pre-Dinner: 2004 William Selyem Hawk Hill Chardonnay. While we were winding down the day in the tasting room we opened a bottle of William Selyem Hawk Hill Chardonnay.  What was very intriguing about this wine is the fruit is sourced from a vineyard we get Chardonnay from as well.  The styles are different but similar … if that makes any sense.  The Hawk Hill Vineyard is very close to the Pacific Ocean which means a long growing season.  Typically these grapes are harvested in November, much longer after a lot of red varietals are harvested.  What does this mean?  A lot of sugar.  High sugar means high alcohol.  And with the William Selyem example … this is true … 15.1%.  This high level of alcohol was exhibited in a lot of heat in the wine.  It didn’t feel very balanced and the finish was a bit odd.  Knowing William Selyem to be a high quality producer I had to wonder (out loud) how this could happen.  It appears for this particular year, the wine maker was in Baltimore when the grapes should have been harvested resulting the grapes were picked too late resulting in very high alcohol.  After the Chardonnay, we closed up the winery and headed out to the El Dorado Kitchen.  5 people squeezed into my little car and off we went. Appetizers: 92 Galah Sparkling Shiraz Sparkling Shiraz is definitely an Australian specialty.  Yes, other countries do sparkling red wines but for some reason, for me, I associate sparkling red with Australian.  I can honestly say that this wine was probably the hit of the night.  All the sparkling Shiraz I have tasted had some sweetness like a demi-sec champagne.  This wine was big and bold.  Apparently, it had been aged for five years and an 8 year old port was used for the dosage.  The wine had a big mouth feel, tannins, and lots of flavor.  For an aged sparking wine it showed incredible structure and paired incredibly well with appetizer we had. house made charcuterie smoked paprika cured pork loin - meyer lemon, shaved parmesan cabernet sauvignon cured beef eye of round - caperberries, pickled red onion fennel sausage - olive & pepper tapenade, fennel pollen pork terrine - cornichons, whole grain mustard duck rillette - endive & orange marmalade crispy baby artichokes - onion rings, garlic confit, meyer lemon, sweet carrot puree, fines herbes aioli Second Appetizer: 2002 Rochioli Estate Pinot Next up was a great wine from one of the greatest cult wine producer in Sonoma.  We had a nice aged estate example.  The estate wine is a blend of the different vineyards and blocks.   Once again I had high expectations which weren’t quite met.  It was a very good wine but not great. prince edward island steamed mussels - creamy sauvignon blanc broth, tarragon, crispy fries Main Course: 1985 Bordeaux Okay, I know I should have taken better notes but I forgot.  All I can remember it that this 85 came from a super second (growth).  Had a great aroma that got better as the wine opened up.  Leather, cedar and smoke.  It was robust with great tannin.  One problem with having one wine to try and pair with every main course is that it doesn’t work.  Below are the entries that were ordered. red wine braised short ribs - truffle fries, horseradish crème fraiche liberty duck trio - seared duck breast, leg confit, pate, sunchoke, fresh organic huckleberry sauce, benziger family ranch biodynamic braised greens bacon wrapped pork tenderloin - spaetzle, brussels sprouts, whole grain mustard sauce Since the Bordeaux was aged nicely it had softened up quite a lot but it still have some strength.  The surprising thing was that it didn’t hold up to the short ribs.  It didn’t overpower the pork or the duck.  It actually complimented very well. Dessert: 2006 Peller Estates Riesling Ice Wine By this time there wasn’t much room for dessert … but I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass me by.  I really wanted to try the ice wine / crème brulee paring.  I picked this one: orange crème brulee - infused orange peal, chocolate shortbread As it turns out, this works pretty damn well.  The acidity in the wine balanced off the creaminess of the dessert.   I am very happy that I made room for dessert.  And just like that, the night was over. John Andrews is a software product manager during the week and is a professional Tasting Room staffer at Loxton Cellars in Glen Ellen, CA on the weekends.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Dinner with a wine maker … by HondaJohn

  
  
• 

  January 2009

  Red Car Pinot Noir Amour Fou 2003

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by rodh

  
  
• 

  January 2009

  Red Car Syrah Red Wind 2004

  Snoothrank:

  No written review

  Wine review by agatha Rybicki

  
  

• November 2008

  We live in the far South West of England, a long way from the usual cross Channel ports such as Dover. We do however, have a local ferry operator out of Plymouth which gives the choice of 2 routes to Europe. One to Roscoff in Brittany and the other Santander in Spain. Also you can... Read moreWe live in the far South West of England, a long way from the usual cross Channel ports such as Dover. We do however, have a local ferry operator out of Plymouth which gives the choice of 2 routes to Europe. One to Roscoff in Brittany and the other Santander in Spain. Also you can choose to combine these for a ‘round trip’, in by one port and out by the other. We did this recently in early September with a view to visiting Bordeaux during the grape harvest time. Possibly not the best idea from some points of view as all staff would be pretty much occupied but we thought there would be a good balance of weather, lack of tourists and action at the Chateaux. We chose to do the circular tour beginning at the Spanish end. We stayed near Santander for a couple of days in glorious weather - high 20s Centigrade. After the very poor UK summer it was lovely and we were also really impressed by the scenery, lush green vegetation and mountains going up steeply to 8000 feet although just a relatively few miles from the sea. Then, en route for France, stopping only at a Spanish frontier town much visited by the local French where many goods including motor fuel, tobacco and spirits were cheaper than just over the border. We filled up the car with fuel but left the wine buying to later in the trip at Bordeaux. Making use of the autoroutes with their relatively light traffic we were quickly at our accommodation near Bordeaux. !http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/3000548427_01a771f1a7.jpg?v=0! Chateau Lamothe was a delight in itself, a one time hunting lodge of a King of England (this part of France was English at the time). It is now a private home where the family (mainly 3 sisters, who were delightfully quirky) look after paying guests. It is moated, turreted and quite beautiful, assuming you like peace and quiet. To get anywhere from here requires access to a car. It does give a great platform to explore the different types of wine chateaux in the Bordeaux area without being locked into the city and its associated traffic. !http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/3001386480_3b844fc601.jpg?v=0! Philip, our son, with his now vast knowledge of wine and contacts arranged for us to visit 3 Chateaux in the Bordeaux area: Chateau Smith Haute Lafitte near Martillac, Chateau Cadillac in Fronsadais and Chateau Palmer in Margaux. !http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/3000548481_ed5d949ac8.jpg?v=0! Chateau Smith Haute Lafitte to an outsider coming in from the South was a little bit of a challenge to find - but well worth the effort. This Chateau is a combination site of an hotel, 'Les Sources de Caudalie' with associated restaurant, a spa and a vineyard. The initial impression is one of charm and attention to detail. The whole site is beautifully kept, orderly and tidy with a pervading sense of purpose. If we visit the Bordeaux area next year we will definitely stay at the hotel and maybe even try their world famous spa. This is evidently carried through to the wine making where carefully thought through changes have been made to the equipment and processes since its beginnings in the middle of the 14th century to bring it up to date while retaining the character, style and quality the Chateau is noted for. The terroir is gravel over clay, limestone and sand occupying a site of about 67 hectares on a slight rise, hence the name, in part, of the Chateau. The majority is devoted to red wine production but a significant amount of white is also produced from 11 hectares. !http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/3001386546_342ff321d9.jpg?v=0! The red wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and some Petit Verdot. The grapes are carefully selected in the field and also undergo a further hand sorting during the wine making process. The vinification process takes place in oak vats and aging in barrels for about 18 months. The result is a wonderful dusky rose coloured, cherry and dark fruit scented complex wine. Solid yet clear, vibrant and spicy with a great balance of all the elements necessary to make a memorable wine. We really enjoyed my tasting of this 2005 wine in its home. We also had the opportunity to try a 2006 white produced at this Chateau from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris grapes. To be honest I was a little reluctant to try this as over the years I have been dismayed by the thin acidic concoctions sold by some organisations. This wine however, was a revelation and has reinvigorated in me the desire to try other whites. This Smith Haut Lafitte was fresh and elegant with a perfumed nose of elderflower and spring flowers leading one into the tastes of a subtle mixture of pear, oak and vanilla. It was delightful. One of the finest white wines of any price I can remember tasting. Needless to say we bought a couple of bottles, hoping that we can try them with Philip on his next visit home. These wines are not what I would call cheap (62 Euros) but in terms of value for money for the pleasure they bring must be well up on the scale. Thank you to Diana Hernandez who gave us a wonderful tour and if anybody decides to visit this area we recommend a tour of the Chateau, it’s open all week - but make sure you make a telephone reservation to ensure there will be space for you. !http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/3000548565_f7fed66db0.jpg?v=0! Next on our list was Chateau Cadillac North East of Bordeaux heading out towards St Emilion. This is smaller than the previous enterprise and is devoted totally towards wine making. Less grand in appearance than the foregoing it is, nonetheless, an interesting sight surrounded by its acres of grape vines, at the time of the year we were there the fruit was well coloured with just one or two weeks left before harvest. The wines we tried here were: 2005 Chateau Cadillac Bordeaux superieur Cuvee Lesgourgues. This wine is made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in oak barrels of which 33% are new. Dark plum in colour with a bright ruby rim it is attractive to the eye, the scent is of dark fruits and cassis. The taste is full with tannin and dark fruits, the balance is good and has a long finish. Smooth and well rounded. 2003 Chateau Haut Selve (under same ownership) Graves. This wine is made from 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged for 14 months in barrels. The colour of this wine is an intense ruby with purple tones at the rim. The nose is spicy, peppery with dark fruits and cherries. The taste is fruity, complex yet subtle with a lingering fruity aftertaste. Very pleasant. Another red Chateau Cadillac aged in a mixture of barrel and vat but in this case a 70/30% blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense and bright in colour with a good depth and balance. Chateau Cadillac white of a pale straw colour, made from Semillon and Sauvignon grapes. I found this light and refreshing with a touch of dryness. It had hints of elderflower, other flowers and pear. Chateau Cadillac rose. This is based on a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, a light strawberry colour and a nose of strawberry and raspberry and, for me, a hint of banana. Very pleasant. The taste was dry and light with just a hint of tannin - no doubt a great summer wine. Finally we were off to Chateau Palmer, a troisieme cru establishment which is frequently regarded as being underclassified. A very efficient planned air surrounds this attractive range of buildings and its 55 hectares of vineyards. The main wine is blended from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (47% each) and 6% of Petit Verdot. As you might expect from such a potentially great wine it is aged for a lengthy period in barrel (21 months). The one we tried was a 2001 at 135 Euros a bottle. It was dark in the glass with purple rim and brown depths. Pungently spicy with a little oak coming through. Complex in taste with a rounded finish. No doubt a good wine but not as much to my taste as the one from Smith Haut Lafitte. It probably needs a little more time to develop its character fully. There is another wine available - a sort of 2nd string. Designed to be more modern in style and drinkable sooner, called Alter Ego. This similar to its more illustrious family member but lighter, more acidic and in my view more tannin. This was 47 Euros a bottle We rounded our trip off with a visit to one of the wine sheds at Roscoff to load the car with yet more wine to hopefully last us until next summer. Ann & John James    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Bordeaux trip by AJames

  
  

• September 2008

  Two words: Jet lag. It is the torture that many people, including myself, must go through to enjoy a proper vacation.  Some people can deal with jet lag without any issues.  I used to be one of those people but I am not any more.  Jet lag was going to be my big challenge for my... Read moreTwo words: Jet lag. It is the torture that many people, including myself, must go through to enjoy a proper vacation.  Some people can deal with jet lag without any issues.  I used to be one of those people but I am not any more.  Jet lag was going to be my big challenge for my European Vacation.   Working in North America means I have to get the most out of the little vacation time that I have.  There is no time to be jet lagged.  My vacation plan is simple, get to Europe and do the following: • Visit Champagne and visit at least one small producer and one big producer • Make to Italy in time for the wedding Depending on which of my friends you talk to, the main event of my trip was either of the two items.  I was off for 10 days and had to make the most of it.  Jet lag be damned. People on the East Coast of North America are lucky.  For East Coasters getting to Europe is as easy as flying to California (and sometimes cheaper).  Getting to Europe from California is a challenge.  Direct flights are rare, multiple connections are common, as are flight delays and running to make your connections. For me to get to Europe, Paris specifically, involved two 6 hour flights and a 90 minute layover in Newark.  I arrived in Paris with only 4 hours of 'airplane sleep' and a huge adrenaline rush.  It was 7:30 in the morning; I had a rental car waiting and my BlackBerry GPS to get me where I needed to go. Surprisingly, it was easy to get through passport control, get my car and get on my way.  Negotiating French traffic was a challenge but not as big a deal as I was lead to believe.  After about an hour or so I was off into the French countryside headed to Reims. It takes about 2 hours to get from Paris to Reims.  There is a nice big motorway (the A4) to get between the two cities with a nice high speed limit (130 kph or about 80 mph).    Traffic was light and I was able to make good time.  The plan was to stop at my hotel and then start visiting Champagne houses before jet lag set in. I arrived in Reims around 10:30 am, which was easy enough.  I then promptly spent the next 45 minutes driving in circles trying to find my hotel.  My driving experience up until that point was not very different than being in North America; big roads that are well signed.  Then I was reminded I was in Europe as soon as I exited the motorway.  Street signs are small if they are there at all and they are never placed where you expect them to be.  Eventually, my hotel was found, bags dropped off and a quick clean up was performed.  Then it was time to head out for my only appointment of the day.  I was off to visit a small winery called Champagne Jacquesson in Dizy, just north of Eperany. Overview of Champagne Even though Champagne is famous, not everyone knows where it is.  Champagne is a province with in France 160 km (100 miles) east of Paris.    The two main cities in Champagne are Reims and Epernay.  These two cities are home to the biggest and most well know Champagne brands including  Moet & Chandon, Pierre Jouet , Pol Roger (Epernay), Veuve Clicquot, Tattinger, and Pommery (Reims).  However, the countryside in between these two cities is dotted with numerous smaller houses.  Champagne is situated at the 49th parallel which means it is at the same level as the majority of the border between the US and Canada. The Champagne province is most notably known for the sparkling wine it produces.  As many of you know, sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it is produced in Champagne and adheres to the rules of Champagne production (Méthode Champenoise).  The grapes for Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and all are grown in a chalky soil. Chateau Jacquesson (website under construction) Château Jacquesson is located in the town of Dizy to the north of Epernay and directly across the street from another Champagne house, Vautrain-Paulet.   In fact, there are at least 12 Champagne producers in the town of Dizy. Chateau Jacquesson is a small, family owned Champagne house.  By Champagne standards they are small with only a 500,000 case production.   They only account for 0.1% of the overall Champagne market. They are not a grower champagne (a producer that only uses grapes they grow) but they do own 31 of the 42 vineyards they source fruit from.   All the vineyards are Grand Cru, which is the highest classification in Champagne.  The vineyards around Dizy product mostly Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. I was met at Champagne Jacquesson by Jean-Herve Chiquet who is one of the co-owners of Champagne Jacquesson.  Jean-Herve conducted a personal tour of the grounds including vineyards, production facilities and storage. One thing that I noticed right away about the vineyards is that the vines in Champagne are trimmed much shorter than in California.  They are about half the height I expected.  In addition to the height, the canopy (leaf coverage) was also cut back significantly.  I was told that this is legislated by the Champagne AOC and both are meant to deal with the two main challenges of growing grapes in Champagne: the lack of sunlight and high humidity from frequent rains.  In fact, Champagne uses clones of grapes where the individual grapes are farther apart to promote air circulation to prevent mold creation from humidity. Jacquesson is a blend of old and new and sometimes, to me, at opposition to each other.  Jacquesson, like many producers in the area, have been around for many, many years.  There is history and tradition within the old buildings they reside but they are populated with modern production equipment that can look out of place.  It is neat and odd to see very old buildings (200+ years old) and modern equipment. The presses for the grapes are gigantic.  They allow for grapes to be spread out over a large surface and evenly pressed.  The juice is feed into concrete tubs a level below. No maloactic fermentation done to keep wines crisp with good acidity.  There is some debate on whether maloactic fermentation should be done or not within Champagne. Mechanical riddling has been embraced by most Champagne houses.  The smaller houses have gone almost exclusively to Gyropallets.  They can accomplish what would take 2 to 3 weeks worth of manual work in one week.  According to Jean-Herve  the real benefit of the Gyropallets is not the time but space.  As he puts it, Champagne is all about taking their time, which they have a lot of, but building more caves and storage is something that they can't do. It seems all Champagne producers will make three styles of Champagne: • Non Vintage (NV) Champagne -  Champagne made from the current harvest combined with reserve wines (wines from previous years) • Vintage Champagne - Champagne made from grapes harvested in one season • Prestige Champagne - Usually a vintage Champagne with very selective juice Jacquesson is no exception.   Where the difference is that their NV Champagne is more vintage than other producers in that it is more an expression of a particular year.  As such, the Jaquesson NV is numbered.  The current Jacquesson NV Champagne is named Jacquesson 732.  The number indicates the number of the cuvee blend and is based on the number of bottlings that the company has done over the years. Here are the wines I was given the opportunity to try: • Jacquesson 732 - (3/5) Golden in color with pear, apricot and lemon aromas.  Tart green apple flavors, very crisp with great acidity. • Jacquesson 733 - (3.5/5) Unreleased Cuvee (this fall).  More straw coloured with peach and yeasty aromas.  More complex in the taste with pear, apple and dough.  Again, great acidity but still a little tight. • Jacquesson 1997 - (4/5) Golden with a slight greenish hue.  Classic yeasty and dough aromas.  Complex wine with doughy, nutty flavors with underlying fruit. • Jacquesson - Avize Grand Cru 2000 - (3.5/5) Made from Chardonnay from three grand cru vineyards.  Again, golden with greenish tinge to it.  Aromas of dough with apricot which was also reflected in the taste. • Jacquesson - Terre Rouges Rose 2003 - (3/5) Very surprising wine.  It was more of a cherry red than rose.  Not opaque but much darker than expected.  Strong red cherry aromas  with traditional yeast, dough undertones.  Softer acidity than other wines. By the time we were done it was 4pm.  I bought some wine jumped in my car and headed back to Reims.  It was then that Jet Lag set in.  I fought as hard as I could to stay awake but I was fighting a losing battle.  By my calculations I had only 4 hours of sleep over a 30 hour period.  Jet lag had won out.  It was 8pm and I went to bed … besides I still had another two days in Champagne, I could afford to sleep now. I have more to report but this has gotten long enough … next up:  Ruinart, Champagne Caves, Vueve Clicquot, Epernay, Avenue de Champagne and Moet & Chandon.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic European Vacation – Part I by HondaJohn

  
  
• 

  May 2008

  Red Car Syrah Shake Rattle Roll 2005

  Snoothrank:

  Inky purple color, almost looks like you are pouring blood, it's so thick. Explodes with a sweet blackberry, even hints of coffee. Delicious. I can't wait to get my hands on some of these!!

  Wine review by LuisRuben

  
  

• May 2008

  This post in Snooth Talk encouraged me to read up a bit more about wine faults. What caught my attention most in the Wikipedia article was the mention of how most faults are incorrectly pegged as cork taint. I realized that every time I detected an off-bottle I did attribute it to... Read moreThis post in Snooth Talk encouraged me to read up a bit more about wine faults. What caught my attention most in the Wikipedia article was the mention of how most faults are incorrectly pegged as cork taint. I realized that every time I detected an off-bottle I did attribute it to TCA. Incidentally, before I knew wine could be faulted I used to drink every wine, and I amuse myself thinking about how many bottles of faulty wine I might have consumed, simply thinking that it was a poor quality wine or not even noticing. Next time I find an off bottle I'm going to try and do a bit more sleuthing. The two "other" faults that I want to point out here are Light Strike and Cooked Wine. Light Strike has the coolest name by far. When a wine bottle is exposed to excessive amounts of UV light it can become damaged, tasting of wet wool or wet cardboard. This is usually how I hear a corked wine described, but there's an extra piece to the TCA which for me is usually a moldy taste and aroma. Wine that is bottled in green or brown glass and red wine is less likely to be afflicted with Light Strike. A wine becomes cooked if it is exposed to high temperatures. Cooked wine becomes lifeless at a low level, but also will age faster. This doesn't mean that you can expose your fine Bordeaux wines to heat and speed up their aging to drink them for your party next week. Aging faster is going to mean a less graceful aging process. Think of that friend that looks like he aged 10 years in 2 years. That's not a pleasant thought. Why do I point out these particular faults? Once you have the bottle of wine in your possession, it's your turn to take care of it. If you store it outside or in a hot car you're asking for a faulty bottle. By the way, there are some great suggestions in Talk if you're in the market for a wine fridge. Then at least it wouldn't be your fault.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic It Might Be Your Fault by mark

  
  

prev 1 2 next