Another fun small gathering. If you want to enjoy a wine event more than do a smaller gathering as you can revisit the wines and actually talk to people instead of shout across the room at a 15 person event. Anyway here are the wines we sampled.
CellarTracker! $75 Plus Cabernet Event
- 2023 Morgen Long Chardonnay Koosah Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills
Day 2: This is for sure not a pop and pour wine and when sampled at the winery gave it 94 on day 3. On day 1 tight and not very much heppeneing where as day 2 opening up for business. Shells, minerals, sour apple, wood, white flowers, pear and tropical fruit. Medium plus finish and nice concentration and acidity. Drink these for another 10 plus years. (93 pts.) - 2018 Kongsgaard Chardonnay – USA, California, Napa Valley
Excellent showing. How to use oak on a Chardonnay 101. Super complex wine with oak, spice, lemon, vanilla, flowers and ripe apples. Medium to long finish and nice acidity. I could see this improving even more over time. 94+ (94 pts.) - 2001 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – USA, California, Napa Valley
This wine will age another 15 plus years. For Bordeaux like cigar, dried flowers, plum, spice, wood, gravel and rose petals. Complex and long finish. Excellent.
Natural cork and 3 hour decant which was about perfect. (94 pts.) - 1993 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor Grown Pritchard Hill – USA, California, Napa Valley
Would have lost a beat on oldest wine at this event as I brought a 2001 but this was still very youthful as well as the 2001 Mondavi Reserve. Earth, menthol, wood, dust, pepper, blue currants and sour cherry. Medium to long finish and a treat to try this. (94 pts.)
- 2015 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville – USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
10 years in and still a bit tight. Oak, black currants, spice, cherry and vanilla. Needs time and decant a few hours. (90 pts.) - 2018 Dakota Shy Cabernet Sauvignon Moulds Family Vineyard – USA, California, Napa Valley
Dark fruits, oak, earth, bell peppers, dust and minerals. Good but again this wine will benefit with some cellaring. (90 pts.) - 2016 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five – USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
It has been a while since trying the One Point Five and tasted this blind. For sure everyone knew Napa. Cherry, oak, vanilla, spice, plum, dried flowers and dark chocolate. This is still a young wine and will benefit from more cellar time. (92 pts.) - 2009 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes – France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Very nice way to finish a great evening. Apricots, honey, flowers, peach and sour apple. Medium plus finish and nice concentration. Good value as well. (93 pts.)