Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard

• April 2009

  “Lots of Interest” Morrell Wine Auctions Live Internet Auction http://auction.morrellwineauctions.com/248/index.jsp?auctionId=248 Wednesday, April 22nd 2009 Auction starts at 11:00 a.m. (EST) ~~~ Editor’s note: First off I humbly apologize for any (and all) grammatical... Read more “Lots of Interest” Morrell Wine Auctions Live Internet Auction http://auction.morrellwineauctions.com/248/index.jsp?auctionId=248 Wednesday, April 22nd 2009 Auction starts at 11:00 a.m. (EST) ~~~ Editor’s note: First off I humbly apologize for any (and all) grammatical and/or spelling errors- had to bang this one out in quick-time and whilst drinking copious amounts of Folgers (of the de-decaffeinated kind). Don't let my sloppy writing style disuade you in any way from heading over to Morrell's website to check out the catalog for yourself. There’s some interesting stuff in this sale, the second of the year from Morrell, including some lowered prices for some of the typically higher (and thereby “out of my reach”) end items from Bordeaux, California, and Italy. Bit of white Burgundy too at the end there that has me thinking summer. So head over if any of these sound interesting to you, and browse around. As Wall Street begins to recover, the prices for wine are at a buying point as I type. Go get something to share & imbibe, and have fun with it. That's where I'm headed. Sincerely, Christopher ~~~ Lot 15 10 bottles, early & mid-80’s Cali cabs... Burgess Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vintage Selection - Vintage 1981 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle Diamond Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Rock Terrace - Vintage 1982 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle Diamond Creek Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Volcanic Hill - Vintage 1984 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. 1 Bottle "The 1984s appear to be the last of the big, bold, full-bodied, super-concentrated Diamond Creek. The wines produced after 1984 have been more polite and oenologically correct. What a shame! The enormous 1984 displays no signs of age in its dark, saturated ruby/purple color. The nose exhibits some evolution, with cedar, leather, and jammy fruit scents beginning to emerge. Still frightfully tannic, full-bodied, and highly extracted, this backward, chewy wine is one of the slowest evolving 1984s." 94 points, RMP. Fisher Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coach Insignia - Vintage 1985 Sonoma County, Two levels are neck-shoulder. Labels: one is wet stained, one is bin soiled. 2 Bottles Navarro Correas, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coleccion Privada - Vintage 1985 Mendoza, Level is high shoulder. 1 Bottle Quivira, Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley - Vintage 1990 Dry Creek Valley, Two levels are high-mid shoulder. 2 Bottles Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1985 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. 1 Bottle Sterling Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve - Vintage 1983 Napa Valley, Level is neck-shoulder. Capsule is corroded. 1 Bottle Above 10 bottles $320 - 500 Opening at $260 Lot #18 Château Chasse-Spleen - Vintage 1989 Moulis-en-Médoc, Six levels are neck-shoulder or better. 6 Bottles "Make no mistake about it, the 1989 Chasse-Spleen is the finest wine this property has produced since their great 1949. This is a spectacularly rich, powerful, authoritative example of the vintage that can compete with and even surpass many of the most famous names. Layer upon layer of concentrated, sweet, expansive, blackcurrant fruit is wrapped in a frame of toasty new oak and decent acidity. An awesome wine!" 91 points, RMP. Above 6 bottles Opening at $240 Lot #39 Château Léoville-Barton - Vintage 1989 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Excellent Appearance. (*92 pts, Wine Spectator) 6 Bottles $380 - $700 Lot #117 Far Niente, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1990 Napa Valley, Two capsules are slightly corroded. 2 Magnums $160 - $300 Lot # 160 Silver Oak Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander - Vintage 1992 Alexander Valley, Two labels are scuffed. 5 Bottles "It possesses that tell-tale Silver Oak, lavishly oaky, Provencal herb, sweet, smoky, jammy black-cherry and cassis-scented nose. Full-bodied, opulent, and succulent..." 92 points, RMP. Above 5 Bottles $200 - $400 Lot # 200 Chassagne-Montrachet, L. Latour - Vintage 1989 Côte de Beaune, Seven levels are 1" below cork or better. Five labels are lightly bin soiled. 7 Bottles $110 - $220 Lot # 221 Behrens & Hitchcock, Syrah, Homage to Ed Oliveira, Alder Springs Vineyard - Vintage 2002 Mendocino County, Excellent Appearance. 5 Bottles Behrens & Hitchcock, Syrah, Homage to Ed Olivera, Alder Springs Vineyard - Vintage 2003 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 3 Bottles Above 8 bottles $190 - $300 Lot # 268 Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Insignia - Vintage 2005 Napa Valley, (92 points, WS, even higher from Parker) Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles $180 - $280 Lot # 388 Château Meyney - Vintage 1979 St.-Estèphe, Level is high shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. 1 Magnum Dominus Estate - Vintage 1989 Napa Valley, Label is badly torn, wet stained, bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded. 1 Magnum Above 2 magnums $120 - $240 Lot # 478 Hourglass, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 2003 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 6 Bottles $220 - $400 Lot # 562 Château Léoville-Barton - Vintage 1996 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle "This impressive wine is a classic. Although backward, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to abundant black currant fruit intertwined with spicy oak and truffle-like scents. The wine is brilliantly made, full-bodied, and tightly-structured with plenty of muscle and outstanding concentration and purity." 92 points, RMP. Château Léoville-Poyferré - Vintage 1995 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Two labels are lightly bin soiled. 2 Bottles Clos du Marquis - Vintage 1990 St.-Julien, Three levels are very high shoulder or better. Three labels are bin soiled. 3 Bottles Above 6 bottles $280 - $520 Lot # 567 Bonny Doon Vineyard, Le Cigare Volant - Vintage 1999 Santa Cruz, Label is bin soiled. 1 Bottle Miner, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 1998 Napa Valley, One capsule is nicked. 3 Bottles Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Vineyard Reserve, Proprietary Red - Vintage 1999 Napa Valley, Four labels are scuffed. 4 Bottles Steele Wines, Syrah, Stymie - Vintage 2000 Lake County, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Above 12 bottles $160 - $320 Lot # 610 Château St. Jean, Cinq Cépages - Vintage 1994 Sonoma County, Three labels are lightly bin soiled. 7 Bottles Paradigm, Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintage 2000 Napa Valley, Label is lightly bin soiled. 1 Bottle Above 8 bottles $260 - $500 Lot # 618 Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2001 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2002 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2003 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Turley Wine Cellars, Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard - Vintage 2004 Paso Robles, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Above 10 bottles $220 - $420 Lot # 655 J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 1996 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 1997 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2000 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2001 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 1 Bottle J. Rochioli Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Estate - Vintage 2002 Russian River Valley, Excellent Appearance. 3 Bottles (89, Steven Tanzer: As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 114, May/June 2004 ($41) Dark, bright red. Very ripe but sappy aromas of strawberry, raspberry and tangy baking spices. Dense but juicy and firm-edged, with refreshing flavors of red berries, cherry pit, chocolate, spices and earth complicated by a note of underbrush. Not especially pliant, but nuanced, persistent and firmly built.) Above 8 bottles $260 - $450 Lot # 669 Lokoya, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain - Vintage 1999 Napa Valley, One label is nicked. 3 Bottles Lokoya, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain - Vintage 2000 Napa Valley, Excellent Appearance. 2 Bottles Above 5 bottles $280 - $480 Lot # 730 Carillon de l'Angélus - Vintage 2000 St.-Emilion, Excellent Appearance. (***Editor’s note: This is the second label of Chateau Angelus- which received a whopping 96 point rating (RMP) for their first label, 2000 Chateau Angelus. Think about it.) Above 10 Bottles $160 - $300 Lot # 737 Château Gruaud-Larose - Vintage 1986 St.-Julien, Deuxième Cru Classé Level is neck-shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded, has evidence of slight past seepage. 1 Bottle "From the first time I tasted this wine in cask, I have thought it to be among the blockbusters of the vintage. It has a black/purple color, mammoth structure, a fabulous wealth of fruit, and a finish that seems to last several minutes. This is indeed first-growth quality, but then, when, in the last decade, has a Gruaud-Larose not matched the quality of the first-growths?" 94 points, RMP. Château Talbot - Vintage 1985 St.-Julien, Quatrième Cru Classé Two levels are neck-shoulder. Two labels are lightly bin soiled. 2 Bottles Château Talbot - Vintage 1986 St.-Julien, Quatrième Cru Classé Level is high-mid shoulder. Label is lightly bin soiled. Capsule is slightly corroded, has evidence of slight past seepage. 1 Bottle "It's my gut feeling that the 1986 is, along with the 1982, the finest Talbot made at this estate since the legendary 1945. The fact that there are 40,000 cases of this wine is good news for the consumer, as there will be plenty to go around. The wine, which has been so special since the first taste from cask, is classically structured, with a penetrating fragrance of peppery, spicy, weedy black currants and tar, an enormous concentration of flavor on the palate, and staggering length." 96 points, RMP. La Croix du Casse - Vintage 1995 Pomerol, Excellent Appearance. 4 Bottles Above 8 bottles $280 - $520 Lot # 772 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Clos des Papes - Vintage 2000 Rhône, Excellent Appearance, owc. 12 Bottles $380 - $700 Lot # 828 Bahans-Haut-Brion - Vintage 2000 Pessac-Léognan, (Ed. Note: Second label of Chateau Haut-Brion, which received a 96 pt. review from Tanzer for the 2000 vintage. Food for thought). Excellent Appearance, owc. 12 Bottles $480 - $850 Lot # 864 Puligny-Montrachet, L. Latour - Vintage 2005 Côte de Beaune, Excellent Appearance. 12 Bottles $190 - $350 And those are just a few Lots of Interest. ~~~ Disclaimer: “Lots of Interest” should only be used as an introduction, or guide to buying wine at auction. I would encourage anyone interested in purchasing wine at auction - ANY AUCTION- to fully read the rules and regulations posed by each auction house respectively.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic "Lots of Interest", Morrell... by ChipDWood

  
  
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  January 2009

  Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005

  Snoothrank: Starting at $32^.00

  No written review

  Wine review by mrbadde

  
  

• October 2008

  There are several factor that determine weather a wine will improve with ... Mountain and wines from Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards appeared out of balance due to their impenetrable wall of tannins. Yet these wines had an inherent harmony that took years to be revealed but when the... Read moreThere are several factor that determine weather a wine will improve with ... Mountain and wines from Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards appeared out of balance due to their impenetrable wall of tannins. Yet these wines had an inherent harmony that took years to be revealed but when the tannins finally melted away what was left was beautiful. Two elements in modern winemaking have had distinct and adverse effects on the agebility of wine and both stem from the physiological ripeness phenomenon that has pushed winemakers to harvest later. As sugars accumulate in grapes, and the potential alcohol correspondingly increases, acidity decreases. By harvesting very late many producers end up with high alcohol wines that are deficient in acidity. The alcohol is offset by the immense fruit of these wines while they are young but the acidity is frequently corrected, a fine art indeed that is difficult to master. The resulting wines taste fine in their youth, albeit are frequently big, bombastic fruit bombs. As the wines age and they lose the baby fat of their youth the elements that had been hidden by that lushness of fruit emerge. The wines may begin to taste hot due to the elevated alcohol and the acid that seemed in balance now is starkly obvious. The fundamental lack of balance is revealed. This began to be a problem in the early to mid 80's in California in particular as a generation of UC Davis trained wine-makers began to practice their technically perfect art. Tons of wines from that time and later have turned out to be difficult to say the least. Big, at the time, producers like Inglenook and Buena Vista for example, who were trying to regain lost luster at the time produced wines that won great favor in the critical press but have turned out to be shrill and thin with cellaring. On the other hand producers whose wines were viewed less positively at the time, for example Burgess and the previously mention Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, have evolved and developed into complex, dynamic wines that I am always thrilled to see at the table! This is potentially a terribly long and complex subject and I've really only just skimmed the surface. I'll make sure I go into more depth in the future but just on a final note, if anyone ever finds a bottle or to of well stored Ridge, Caymus, Edmeades, Montevina, Rutherford Hill, etc. Zin from the late 70's to the early 80's I recommend you give it a try. Made in the days before physiological ripeness was the buzz-word and sold for immediate consumption at very reasonable prices these wines have surprisingly stood the test of time very well and remain as testament to how well a wine can age based simply on it's own raw material    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Ageability~~~ by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• September 2008

  Hi cdean, My first post here but certainly not my last. Your question is an ... producers such as Burgess, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, and even Robert Mondavi. Finally one avenue worth exploring would be to seek out wines from less acclaimed vintages. The warmth of the typical... Read moreHi cdean, My first post here but certainly not my last. Your question is an ... producers such as Burgess, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, and even Robert Mondavi. Finally one avenue worth exploring would be to seek out wines from less acclaimed vintages. The warmth of the typical California growing season greatly influences the style of the wine made. Cooler, problematic vintages frequently disappoint those who are used to and seek out more typical California wines but often resemble the wines from Europes cooler climes. I will be doing some in-depth tastings this fall on just these types of wines so stay tuned for more notes and updates    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Does an old world California... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

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