May 2018 Wines

Another month has flown by

(And more to come!)

I will start with our Lucky 13 tasting, held while my brother was visiting from Arizona. The wines had been shipped to my home and were all from the 2013 Vintage.

The Lucky Thirteen Tasting

All except the first wine were decanted, to better aerate the wines.

2013 Franciscan Magnificat, Napa Valley, California                        Retail    $58

92 points James Suckling

 A bright and balanced red with currant, plum, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Pretty length and control to this. A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink or hold. 

Winemaker’s notes: Magnificat is one of the original Meritage blends in California, a wine Franciscan has proudly produced since 1985. Named for J.S. Bach’s masterpiece, it is crafted to be as seamless and harmonious as its musical namesake. Starting with over 200 small lots of red wine,  Magnificat is created to showcase our fi nest Bordeaux blend of the vintage. Carefully assessing each lot as it ages in barrel, we create the blend with repeated trials and blind tastings. Depending on how the varieties express in a given year, the composition will be different, always shaped to provide consistency of style. The wine is founded on Cabernet Sauvignon, but true to Meritage, uses other Bordeaux varietals to give roundness, structure, and rich complexity.

A very nice wine, this wine is available for around $30, not made for long term storage, but would be drinkable in several years. Nice fruit forward flavors, moderate finish, well worth the current price. A wine I have had over many years.

2013 Grgich Hills Miljenko's Selection Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford) Retail    $90

Wine Enthusiast               92 Points

Exotic and complex, this medium-bodied, structured wine is awash with aromas, from charcuterie and mixed nut to cedar and pencil. Anchoring it is a dusty tannic profile and a punch of oak.

Indigo color. Aromas and flavors of berry compote, clay pot, toasted nuts, and hint of beeswax with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a tingling, interesting, medium-long cedar and sandalwood finish with well-integrated, dusty tannins and moderate oak. A well-made dry cabernet that will improve with age.

A well made wine, good nose and pleasant flavors. Some tannins, but drinking very smooth right now. Still enough body and tannin to last at least 5 years. Very pleasing.

2013 Chimney Rock White Pebble Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Ca                              Retail $118

A sinlge vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon showing aromas of blackberry and plum while in the palate it has great density and long, delicate finish. White Pebble Vineyard is situated geographically in the center of our estate. The name alludes to the white golf balls from the golf course which played a part of Chimney Rock history. To this day the golf balls are discovered among the vines, and our winemaking team often collects them as they take their daily walks down the vineyard rows. The spirit of golf parallels the spirit of the vintner in so many ways. It is a game of patience, hard work, long walks and almost Zen-like stillness at times. Vintners also must walk many miles and remain focused, and pay close attention in the stillness of their vineyards. 2013 gifted us the ideal conditions for concentrated, inky beautiful grapes. We hope you enjoy the results of our winemakers’ most beloved endeavor.

This wine needed decanting – it was tight until enough air had passed over it. Nose was a little short and the initial taste was somewhat flat on the palate. The aftertaste was very good. As it opened up, the wine had vibrant fruit and plenty of tannins. Probably needs 4 – 5 years to really open up – nice wine.

2013 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Ca                      Retail     $90

Appellation         Oakville, Napa Valley

Harvest Dates    September 20 – October 17, 2013

Varietals              97% Cabernet Sauvignon              3% Petit Verdot

Aging     17 months in French oak               77% new              23% once-used

The 2013 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon presents dusty chocolate and black cherry aromas layered with subtle floral notes and oak. The entry is velvety and intense, revealing dark cherry and boysenberry notes married with toasted oak and light licorice. This is an elegantly structured wine with silkiness through the midpalate and a persistent, juicy finish. Deep, coating Oakville tannins ensure that this wine will age beautifully in the cellar.

95 points Wine Enthusiast

 Sourced largely from the Martin Stelling Vineyard behind the winery in the western shade of Oakville, this wine opens with charred oak and a smoky, meaty character that intrigues. Seamless on the palate in soft, perceptible tannin, it delves into characteristics of cedar and brushy sage as it goes, unveiling a wildness that’s hard to contain. Its bright, fresh finish gives it a roundness that’s ready to enjoy now. 

A very nice wine – the mouthfeel was very full, not closed in at all. Had a nice aftertaste with silky tannins holding together. Very drinkable at present but enough body to hold together a few more years.  Very enjoyable.

2013 Nickel & Nickel Quarry Vineyard, Napa Valley, Ca                                 Retail $118

The 2013 Quarry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a beautiful bouquet of cherry, green olive and forest floor notes. On the palate, juicy plum and cherry fruit flavors offer ripeness, mingled with olive, herb, earth and tea. Beautifully integrated warm oak enters on the midpalate, as firm and coating tannins carry the flavors into a long, supple finish.

APPELLATION Rutherford, Napa Valley VARIETAL 100% Cabernet Sauvignon AGING French oak barrels (53% new, 47% once-used) SKIN CONTACT 8 - 12 days TIME 17 months

The Quarry Vineyard climbs the slopes above the Silverado Trail on the east side of Rutherford. The name comes from the old quarry that was the source of a white rock used in the ghost winery that still stands beside the vineyard. Three distinct hillside blocks, each experiencing its own unique soil and exposure, are harvested from this vineyard. The white, rocky loam soils are well drained, and the vines are of moderate vigor. Cluster and berry size varies from block to block, but all are small to moderate. This vineyard has full exposure to the afternoon sun.

This wine had a good nose, lots of fruit and tannins. This was a bruiser, needing a number of years in the bottle to mellow and soften to be an approachable wine. Easily spend 5 -10 years and still be a great drinking wine. Really nice!

2013 Hall Exzellenz Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Ca                          Current Retail $350

100 Points           Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

This hails from the foothills of Rutherford and refers to Kathryn Hall’s ambassadorship to Austria between 1997 and 2001. A prodigious wine with beautiful floral notes intermingled with blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry and graphite, the wine hits the palate with a full-bodied force, but nothing seems pushed, cloying or out of sync. Gorgeously pure blue and black fruits cascade over the palate, a full-bodied presentation with remarkable purity and complexity. The finish is a good 45-50 seconds, and while there is significant tannin, the extravagance of the fruit and glycerin generally conceal it. This is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind, world class Cabernet Sauvignon that should prove compelling for at least another 30-40+ years.

From the Sacreshe vineyard, this wine had an outstanding nose. The flavors were big as well as the tannins in the wine. The finish is wonderful and long – this wine is a real stunner! Drinkable, but begging for aging, this wine is one of the best I have had – for sure in the last few years. Originally around $220, the winery is out and with a 100 point Parker rating, the secondary market has driven up the price. Absolutely a remarkable wine.

Then there were several more bottles opened from 2013 but I ran out of space for notes (as well as wine overload). Fun was had by all!

I will post the May wines (my regular stuff) in the next few days. Till then, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.