Le Caveau - First Tasting of 2012 - 1/14/2012

Le Caveau - First Tasting of 2012 - 1/14/2012
Tasting notes compiled by Dan Crawford of Le Caveau

"1) 2009 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Santa Barbara County - $24.99
100 % Chardonnay
This Chardonnay is all about citrus, stone fruit, smooth and integrated flavors, creamy and tense, with apricot, apple, and lemon nuances. Barrel fermented and aged in French oak. 65% Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay and 35% Rancho Vinedo Vineyard.

Jim Clendenden’s goal is to establish guidelines and practices that will sustain the American wine growing culture. More specifically, he produces wines with a lower alcohol content and higher acidic quality that expresses the nuances of terroir, which is in contrast to the mass produced, point seekers that litter the Cali landscape.

2) 2009 Friedrich Becker Estate Pinot Noir Pfalz - $22.99
100% Pinot Noir
This Estate Pinot Noir is a lovely, clear, bright garnet color with a fantastic aroma of spicy strawberry, black plums, dried tobacco and a bit of chalkiness (a direct result of Pfalz’s limestone soil – perfect for Pinot Noir). On the palate those spicy strawberries are just as brilliant, as is the peppery dustiness that I love so much in a well-made Pinot Noir, and the spiciness lingers for what seems like forever on the tongue.

Hailing from the Pfalz region on the French-German border, Friedrich Becker is widely considered to be one of the great Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) producers in Germany. Indeed, Friedrich Becker’s single vineyard bottling from its Kammerberg vineyard is thought by some to be one of the best expressions of Pinot Noir in all the world (hence the $100+ price tag). Luckily for us, however, the winery saves plenty of their Kammerberg grapes to include in their much more reasonably priced Estate bottling.

3) 2009 Domaine de Fontenille Côtes du Luberon - $13.99
50% Grenache 50% Syrah
This blend displays a complex array of aromas and flavors, ranging from black cherry to black olive and from clove to licorice. It’s richly structured, yet juicy, with a velvety feel. Drink now-2018

The Leveque brothers, Jean and Pierre, make the most Chateauneuf-like wine of the Luberon. Pierre did his apprenticeship with Paul Avril at Clos du Pape, which might explain in part why Robert Parker described the ’92 Fontenille as "resembles Beaucastel". Another reason could be the cepages (varietals) - nearly 50% each Grenache and Syrah, for the cuvee we have selected. Yet another reason might be the extremely low yields - at the levels of appellation Chateauneuf. Lastly, of course, our selection was bottled unfiltered. The result, a fabulous wine...like Chateauneuf for much less money, but also a wine with its own unique character.

4) 2009 Cuvée de Peña VDP des Pyrénées-Orientales - $14.99
40%Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Carignan
90 Points: "The as usual Carignan-based red 2009 Cuvee de Peña is simply the finest of its illustrious bargain-priced breed that I have tasted, which also makes it a mind-boggling value! Clean and polished, concentrated but unexaggerated, this delivers sweet fruit with soil and soul. Ripe cherry, black raspberry, and purple plum are shadowed by their distilled counterparts in a high-toned nose and practically gush on the palate. Pungent, resinous herbs, smoky black tea, toasted pecan, brown spices, and crushed stone all serve for aromatic and gustatory interest, leading to a brightly juicy yet deeply rich finish." - David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate

The heart and soul of Peña is winemaker Joseph "Tony" Gonzalez, who has 20+ years’ experience at Peña, a brilliant flair for winemaking, and an instinctive and profound knowledge of the vineyards and terroir. He has been offered more money by private producers, but loves his job working with the growers and crafting the wines of Peña.

5) 2010 Tablas Creek Vineyard 'Patelin de Tablas' Paso Robles - $19.99
39% Syrah 36% Grenache 22% Mouvedre 3% Counoise
This offering displays ripe blackberries, dark strawberries, subtle black licorice and minerality on the nose. Dusty tannins linger on the palate with a juicy acidity that balances this wine. The wine incorporates fruit from seven top vineyards in Paso Robles, each vineyard selected for its quality. Like many red wines from the Rhône Valley, it is based on the dark fruit, mineral and spice of Syrah, with the brightness and fresh acidity of Grenache, the structure and meatiness of Mourvèdre and a small addition of Counoise for complexity.

Tablas Creek Vineyard is the result of a decades-long friendship between the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and Robert Haas, longtime importer and founder of Vineyard Brands. The families created a partnership in 1985 and in 1989 purchased a 120-acre property in the hilly Las Tablas district of west Paso Robles for its similarities to Châteauneuf du Pape: limestone soils, a favorable climate, and rugged terrain. "

Le Caveau - November 26th, 2011 - Small Business Saturday Tasting

1) 2009 Provenza “Lugana” Lugana DOC $ 14.99
100% Trebbiano di Lugana
This white wine displays a subtle straw color with green highlights. The delicate bouquet of almonds is enhanced by a slightly salty, semi-sweet, flavor of citrus and almond butter.
Trebbiano is the second most planted grape in Italy, and this sub variety is grown in clay soil around Lake Garda. (aka the largest lake in Italy)

2) 2009 Laurent Miquel Père et Fils Chardonnay Pays d'Oc $ 9.99
100% Chardonnay
This is early-picked (for the Languedoc) unoaked Chardonnay showing nice citrus acidity, clean white fruit and a hint of aniseed. It’s crisp and fresh with a long bright finish.
Since 1791, eight generations of the Miquel family have worked the vines of their estate high in the Lanauedoc hills. To Pay tribute to his ancestries, he named this range “Père et Fils” (Father and Son) and by looking at the label you’ll see a vine with on its roots all the first names of each of Laurent’s forbearers.

3) 2007 Domaine Duseigneur “Antàres” Lirac AOC $17.99
60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mouvedre
A garnet-coloured robe is draped over spice, licorice and black cherry fruit. With a long, lingering finish that presents hints of raisin, smoke, and garrigue (aka: Herbs from Provence - lavender, etc).
This biodynamically-farmed vineyard is located on the West bank of the Rhône Valley, near the picturesque village of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, and in view of the slopes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. On old alluvial terraces the soil is made up of red clay and pebbles on top of a layer of sand. The vine grows through this seemingly uncultivatable soil, the farming of which requires great belief, patience and tenacity.

4) 2009 Chateau Richard “Cuvée Natural” Bergerac AOC $ 17.99
90% Merlot, 10%, Cabernet Franc
This organic Bergerac (near Bordeaux) has pretty cassis, berry fruit aromas and a pleasant supple palate with good acidity and freshness. An everyday red and an excellent value, particularly for a wine made without added sulfites.
This winery is Ecocert organic certified and no sulphur dioxide added to the wine.

5) 2006 Château Garderose “Cuvée Saint-Vincent” Lalande de Pomerol AOC $16.99
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
This red Bordeaux has a crazy complex nose of dark plum, leather, rich black fruits with light oak and tobacco notes. The palate shows firm, but mature tannins and nice balancing acidity with a subtle earthy finish.
The region of Lalande-de-Pomerol is considered a lesser-known “satellite” of the more famous Pomerol appellation, although it actually covers more acreage. Merlot is the dominant grape in the region, accounting for over 80% of the vines planted. (Cabernet Franc is a distant second.) The wines of Lalande-de-Pomerol wine is often compared to the more famous Pomerol appellation, but is sold at a fraction of the price.
I thought it smelled of fresh butter and cranberries
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Interesting people today: Leslie McCain of Total Wine was at this tasting.

Le Caveau - Fall Weather Wines - October 29, 2011

Le Caveau - Fall Weather Wines - October 29, 2011

1) 2010 Banshee Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $15.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc
This is a slighty grassy, lemon blossom and citrusy Sauvignon blanc, with a rush of melony goodness on the palate. Medium-bodied, this wine has good texture AND acidity, which would come as no surprise if you knew the wine's source. Banshee gets 98% of the fruit from one of the top three Sauvignon Blanc producers in the Napa Valley. Try this with fresh-shucked oysters, a lobster boil or even a Chinese dish.
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2) 2010 Damien Coquelet Chiroubles $21.99
100% Gamay
This wine jumps from the glass with an open and floral nose followed by notes of wild raspberry, ripe cherry, herbs and brown spice. The palate shows the succulence and freshness that is the hallmark of the 2010 vintage along with a smoky minerality and nice grip.
Damien is George Descombes’ son and he’s been working the vineyards of cru Beaujolais since he was five years old. Heis drawing a lot of attention for his beautifully pure renditions of Beaujolais from the cru of Chiroubles. Chiroubles has the highest elevation of Beaujolais' 10 crus, and it is this elevation-coupled with granite-based soils-that gives the wines of Chiroubles their floralperfume and incisive cut.
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3) 2009 La Ferme du Mont Côtes du Rhône Premiere Cote $21.99
60% Grenache, 30% Syrah
The 2009 Cotes du Rhone Premiere Cote is an amazingly sexy, lush, full-bodied, Cotes du Rhone with loads of black cherry and black currant fruit, a deep, concentrated mouthfeel and a silky finish. It should drink nicely for 2-4 years if you can resist it that long.
Stephane Vedeau, one of the young, energetic Turks of Chateauneuf du Pape, has emerged from the woodwork to produce stunning wines in 2007 as well as 2008 and 2009. Something about him reminds me of the obsessive-compulsive St.-Emilion proprietor, Francois Mitjaville. This is a seriously talented winemaker who is quickly emerging as a star of the southern Rhone.
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4) 2009 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Bourgogne $14.99
100% Pinot Noir
This Bourgogne presents a moderate crimson color in its youth, then becomes orange/ruby after a few years of aging in bottle. The cherry and blackcurrant flavors are marked in its youth, after wich game and mushroom appear on the nose supported by candied fruits on the palate. The vines are distributed on several parcels located in the bottom of a mineral-rich hillside in Nuits Saint George on a gentle slope of silt and clay. These 2.13 hectars of vines have an average age of 20 years.
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5) 2008 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape $54.99
75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mouvèdre and 5% Cinsault and others.
Classic notes of kirsch, plum, spice box, cedar, and garrigue are accompanied by deep fruit, an attractive dark ruby/plum color, and surprising body as well as depth for a 2008. It should drink well young, and evolve for up to a decade.
93 points Wine Spectator: "This is rock-solid, with crushed raspberry, kirsch, juniper and smoked apple wood notes, backed by a broad, plush, spice- and anise-filled finish. Nicely rounded and integrated for the vintage. Drink now through 2021."
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We loved #5 (of course), but I was also in love with #2, it was "like drinking roses."