My previous post “More Great Wines” has gotten too long. So, starting 2024, it is time to celebrate the many remarkable wines we encounter.

TASTED 9/11/2024

Our Zoom tasting group was having Piedmont tonight. I had originally pulled a couple of great wines, a 2000 Gaja Barbaresco and a 2001 Pio Cesari Pio Barolo to make a decision. But, when I pulled all the old wines for our August party, I came upon a Ralph Leone imported bottle of 1978 Gilardino Spanna Del Piemonte IT (12.5% abv) that I had purchased from Sue Beadle, widow of John Beadle. Being a fairly generic offering from a highly regarded Barolo producer, it probably cost about $3-4 in 1980. But, even the most basic generic offerings from good producers, have a level of finesse and longevity comparable to their top crus. It decanted brilliantly with a very nice red hue and only a tiny bit of transparency on the meniscus. Particularly in the area around Ghemme and Gattinara, Spanna is used as the local word for Nebbiolo. Even young Nebbiolo can be a bit on the transparent side so for a 46 year old wine, I found the color remarkable. I sniffed the top of the decanter and knew at once that it was not dead, not oxidized and still smelled like fruit. Growing up among Italian wine makers who used no sulfites, a little bit of olive-like smells just made the wine all the more friendly and compelling. It screamed ITALIAN with a very fine and complex mélange of strawberry, earth, grappa-like purity with hints of wood spices and herbs. This wine is far from over the hill. When it was first opened, the tannin seemed a bit hollow. But, as it aired, within an hour everything, bouquet, fruit, flavor and texture ramped up significantly. As I sit here and savor the last few drops, the finish is rich and long. What an amazing surprise!!!

TASTED 9/2/2024

After our party on August 10th, in which we opened something like fifty wines dating back to the 1970’s, it is hard to write a column about a 2017 Red Blend and fold it into the category of “great”. But, with both feet back on the ground, here we go. It seems like the only time we open a memorable wine is with fondue. If that is the case, I’m good with fondue every week. Tonight, we enjoyed a bottle of 2017 of Provenance Vineyards Deadeye Napa Valley Red Blend CA (15.2% abv) about $35. It is a blend of Merlot, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Cab Sauv and Syrah and shows a rich deep color and a pure Napa fruit nose. The bouquet is layered with aromas of baked cherries and black berry with nuances of forest floor and just a hint of smoke. The palate follows seamlessly with fresh red fruit,, lively acid with flavorful fruity grape skin tannin. It finishes with a wide array of flavors and textures from green sappy herbs to red plum and rhubarb. It was a real treat to enjoy this fine wine at what I would expect to be it’s golden zone at seven years of age. We’ve got two more, so, we’ll see.

TASTED 7/20/2024

One of the many 2010 futures purchased over a decade ago is the always dependable 2010 Château Fourcas Dupré, Listrac-Médoc AOC, (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon) Bordeaux FR (13% abv) about $20 for the current vintage. With $20 wines like this why would anyone spend the money for a Grand Cru Classé? Color is dark black red with an aroma of rich Medoc-earth-driven truffle superimposed upon very dense black cherry preserves. On the palate, the “oh yea” response comes so automatically with a fine expression of currant, cedar and forest floor. The texture is big but not too big. The rich tannins carry through the finish leaving a clean dry lingering sense of the wine. This is magnificent!

Incidentally, we had a bottle of 2012 Recuerdo Aliado Malbec, Uco Valley Mendoza ARG (14.2% abv) same price about $20 current vintage tonight with dinner that was a very very nice wine but not remotely in the same league as the Fourcas Dupré. I’m telling you that in a tasting of the most elite Bordeaux, the Fourcas Dupré would finish at least mid or better. There is clearly a class or elegance or something that humans just sense that makes wines from the best sites in Bordeaux or Napa Valley more than satisfying but cerebral. Soil? Bugs? Bacteria?

TASTED 7/2/2024

So, with our usual go to meal (fondue again?) I felt compelled to open something special. I spotted the 1979 tag and figured it certainly wasn’t getting any younger. So tonight we enjoyed a 1979 Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste Saint Guirons Pauillac Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux FR (12% abv) about $90 for the current vintage which is probably a bottle from the John and Sue Beadle collection. Even though it was purchased from Ramblewood Party Store / aka. D Schuler’s, I am certain that I long since drank all of the ‘79’s that I had cellared during the ten years that I worked there. As soon as I touched the cork with my AH-SO puller it gave way and started to fall into the bottle. But some pretty adept (yes, I AM patting myself on the back) push, pull, push, pull, push, pull and twist, push, pull and twist, I was able to extract the fully saturated black red extra long cork out in tact. The second the cork came out, a nice earthy, grapy, leathery smell emanated from the cork and bottle. I only decanted once and poured from the decanter. I am starting to accept that double decanting can do harm. But, is there any way to get the wine back in the bottle sediment free? I poured Alice a taste which she immediately pronounced good and guessed 1980’s. Good guess! 1979 was one of those “useful” vintages that the market needs to sort out great vintages that precede and in a few years will succeed the good but not great vintages that people can afford to buy and drink. When I taste young Grand Cru Classé these days (which is rare considering the price) I just cannot imagine that they will ever taste like this. Unfortunately, Alice and I will be compost long before that topic is ever broached. I’ll never forget the first time I tasted a Grand Cru Classe which I think was a 1967 Chateau Villemaurine and the light bulb clicked on. These old classic wines just seem to have something I don’t find in wine anymore. The depth of the bouquet is unlike anything being made anywhere today. Just about every imaginable scent pops up and triggers a brain response. The palate is not robust by any means but has such class, depth and complexity that one needs to just let it hang on the palate for as long as it remains. Life’s good!

TASTED 6/19/2024

While watching the storm go through we popped open a bottle of 2014 Bargetto Regan Vineyards Reserve Santa Cruz Mountains Merlot CA (14.5% abv) about $40 for a current vintage. This is a totally different wine from the two previous entrees. This wine is MASSIVE! If the Ramey and the Phelps tend toward the elegant, this is quite the opposite. Not overtly over ripe or fruit forward either but muscular, profoundly rich and all about the mingling of dense tight black fruit with terroir. It is as powerful a red as I can remember with a nose of condensed brandied cherries and a palate of potent berry liqueur finishing dry and even a tad bitter like an Italian thistle based “punch”. The longer it is open the bigger and deeper the flavors; a whopper for sure!

TASTED 6/17/2024

We seem to be on a roll with very elegant Napa Cabs. Watching the Tigers fail to score with numerous on base opportunities we opened a 2012 Ramey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (14.5% abv) CA around $70 for the current vintage. This is a real throwback to when the Mondavi/Krug style exemplified Napa. Which is not to say this wine isn’t full of ripe fruit but to say the most noticeable and endearing feature is the balance, elegance and harmony of the total package. The nose couldn’t be more spot on Napa with sweet ripe fruit, cedar, dusty cocoa and some exotic ripe tropical accents. The palate is much the same with a graceful finish that says, “pour me another”. I can’t believe we consumed a whole bottle in nine innings! Beautiful wine perfectly balanced for enjoyment. It certainly proves that bigger isn’t necessarily better.

TASTED 5/29/2024

Tonight with our usual favorite meal (fondue) we opened up a bottle of 2013 40th Vintage Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Insignia (88% Cab Sauv/5% Petit Verdot/3% Merlot/3% Malbec/1% Cab Franc) CA (14.5% abv) current vintage north of $300 if for no other reason than to relish drinking an expensive wine that was not nearly so when we purchased it about nine or ten years ago. The color is still black red with no browning or transparency on the meniscus. The nose is as classic Napa Cab as it gets. We’ve had this wine in a few other older vintages and although this is very consistent, it seems to lean a bit more to the side of terroir and structure and less to the fruit forward, sweet oak side that I recall in other vintages. Albeit a great wine of the very highest class, I think I liked the suave silky sweet oak of previous vintages better. Nonetheless, this wine has remarkable depth and length to its rich spicy dusty demeanor laced with baked black fruits and ample texture. Hard to say if the texture is dominant because it is a bit young or because it is too old and the fruit has faded. We have one more bottle of this vintage. I’m tempted to keep it a few more years to see if it softens up. I’m guessing that even if it is already past its prime in a few more years, it will still be a fine enjoyable bottle. Yes, it was just wonderful with the fondue. Maybe I’m being too critical.

TASTED 5/22/2024

We had just been to Horrock’s in Lansing a few days ago and, of course purchased mushrooms among other fruits and vegetables that needed to be eaten. We also had some “prime rib” beef patties that had been frozen for some time and were approaching their Best By date. So, Alice suggested Salisbury Steak. To be honest, the only Salisbury Steak I had ever had was a Swanson TV dinner when I was a kid. I vividly recall my older sister making fun of my choice of “hamburger with gravy”. I liked it then and figured if I made it from scratch with a high quality mushroom gravy it might be worthy of a fine wine accompaniment. Well…….. the recipe we found on line for the “steaks” turned out to be really good. They were sort of like mini-flat-savory-meat-loafs. But the gravy didn’t thicken right with the roux so I added some dissolved potato starch and instantly I had a too thick gravy. The only redeeming part was the steaks and the mushrooms. Next time I try this, I’ll cook the steaks according to the recipe but use my tried and true Weber’s Mushroom Sauce (see “If you Like Mushrooms…..” dated 3/14/22) instead of the mushroom gravy. 2007 has been regarded as one of Napa’s best vintages though I’ve had way more great 2006’s than 2007’s. 2007 Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon CA (14.5% abv) about $60 for a current vintage is no exception. Being that it has been standing in the dining room for months and has developed a nearly opaque chemise, I figured that I did not need to decant. And, yes, it did pour beautifully clear and rich looking. The nose is big, full of classy Napa grapes* and fully developed. It is both toasty though not oaky and volatile without an alcohol burn. On the hefty palate, nuances of cedar, composted leaves and hints of aromatic tropical fruits make it intriguing. The tannin is not hard but stands out in a rustic sort of Chianti-like way. Overall, this is a very good wine and good example of 16 year old Napa Cab but I would not say that it is a remarkable wine nor represents what many consider a remarkable vintage. It is hard to rate mature wines but this one is NOT nor ever was anything like a GOLD medal wine.

*Many years ago, Bill Henry, the horticulturist for William Hill winery took Alice and I up to Mount Veeder to get a feel for the terroir from which some of their best grapes had been sourced. Eating the grapes which were just a few days from harvest not only tasted like Cabernet Sauvignon but actually tasted like William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon! I was flabbergasted that the sense of terroir was that evident in fresh grapes. Considering that the grapes I was eating comprised only a portion of the cuvee made the distinct connection even more remarkable. As we were heading back down the slope, Bill pointed out the Mount Veeder Winery and said something like “if these guys ever figure out how to make wine, this block could be the best in the valley”. Shortly after that, Mount Veeder was sold to Franciscan Estates which was sold to Huneeus Vintners which sold the Franciscan Estates portion to Constellation Brands. By blending these very favorable mountain grapes with valley floor grapes, Franciscan/ Huneeus/Constellation toned down the hard tannin and made a much more balanced wine. Today, Mount Veeder is just another brand in a global comglomerate’s portfolio. But I’d bet that if any of that mountain fruit still finds its way into the current vintages, the distinct terroir will still be quite evident. ABC

TASTED 5/11/24

We were in a hurry yesterday so Alice grabbed a rotisserie chicken from Meijer for chicken sandwiches. The meat on those rotisserie chickens just melts in your mouth when slathered with mayo, lettuce and doughy white bread. But, of course, we had a lot of meat left over and a carcass of the most savory sort. There is absolutely nothing better for making chicken soup than a rotisserie chicken carcass. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, we’d had a zoom Vouvray tasting so had the better part of a half bottle of 2012 Domaine d’Orfeuilles “Les Coudraies” Vouvray (old vine Chenin Blanc) Loire Valley, FRANCE (12.5% abv) about $20 for the current vintage. I’ve probably reviewed this wine in the past because we had a case and only have three left but it has to have been quite a while ago. As is my habit, I drink a bottle every year or two until I get to the point when the wine just keeps getting better and better and I only have a few left. If I live long enough, it will be interesting to see what this wine tastes like when it is 20+ years old. According to the late Alexis Lichine, Vouvray has the longest life of any white wine in the world. He’s probably right, but I would include German Riesling in that category as well. The nose of this wine is mind boggling. The color is not unlike a 10-15 year old Mosel while the aroma of extraordinarily classy limestone, diesel, and overwhelming ripe lemon custard just grows and grows. The nose is so satisfying, that drinking the wine is almost unnecessary. Yet, the palate opens up a whole new palate of fruit and limestone terroir flavors and textures. It is so lush that even with plenty of refreshing acidity, it feels sweet and viscous in the mouth. This is a monumental wine! GOLD doesn’t even begin to give its due.

TASTED 4/19/24

We were invited over to my sister and brother in law’s for a dinner party and we volunteered to bring the wine for the entrée which was beef Wellington. I brought a trio of 2009, 2015, and 2019 Chateau Beaumont Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois Superieur Bordeaux FRANCE (13.5% abv) about $20 for the current vintage all of which were about a 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend some with a bit of Petite Verdot. As expected, the 2009 was ready to drink. I feared that it might still be too young because it had zero sediment. Normally, the wine throws a fair amount when it is mature. The color was still rich and dark with just a tad of transparency on the meniscus. It came across as super mellow both with lush mature fruit in the nose as well as a velvety texture. The nose is a classic combination of cedar and black currant with a significant dose of toasted oak starting to emerge giving the wine a deliciously accent of chocolate and maybe even toffee. The 2015 actually tasted about the same but even though it was all there nothing seemed nearly as harmonious and completely compelling as the 2009. Perhaps due to its youth, the 2015 did have a certain plumpness that made it very enjoyable though the oak complexity seemed to be masked by the more prominent fruit. The 2019 was the least liked by most of the guests though George liked the 2015 the least. To me what made the 2015 enjoyable in spite of its youth, fresh plump fruitiness, was absent from the 2019. I’m not sure if it just needs a bit of time or if it is not as generously fruity vintage as the other two. By comparison, I would say the 2019 was lighter and dare I say thinner than either the 2009 or the 2015. It just seemed to have less weight and depth. All nice wines nonetheless. Like many of these exercises, it would be hard to say that if tasted blind I would have guessed that the wines had a ten year spread with the oldest at fifteen years old.

TASTED 2/13/2024

With tonight’s poo poo platter Alice asked for a Malbec. So I thought I’d stump her, but she’s drunk wine with me too long for that, I guess. I opened a 1998 Clos La Coutale (Malbec) Cahors (12% abv) FRANCE originally $10 today about $20. The nose is huge and reminiscent of Right Bank classics from much further downriver. It is both rich with dark fruit and rich with compost, tobacco and forest floor. This is a wine that you’ll notice that we’ve enjoyed many times over many vintages reported on many times in this blog site. I don’t believe we’ve ever drunk one that wasn’t at least 20+ years old. This is a wine that shows amazing substance, class and strength for a wine in its price range. Like most French wines, the varietal identity takes a back seat to terroir. Yes, it is Malbec but the sense of place and the rich nuance of dusty spices and dense baked fruit is all Cahors. Lovely wine!

TASTED 2/12/24

With our favorite go to meal (steak, shrimp, chicken and veggies fondue) I was headed to the cellar for a nice red and asked Alice what she wanted and her reply was “a Montrachet”! Sorry, Alice those days are long gone. So, with that in mind, I thought about a mature white and came up with 2012 Domaine d’Orfeuilles Les Coudraies VOUVRAY (medium dry Chenin Blanc) Loire Valley FRANCE (12.5% abv) about $22 for the current vintage. It was every bit the worthy companion to our mixed meats and veggies as a mature white Burgundy. What old vine Chenin Blanc lacks in butter and oak it more than makes up for in nuances owing to the overripe condition of the grapes presenting with a creamy texture offering weight and richness. The color is an absolutely gorgeous pale gold, looking more like Montrachet than I’d expected. Alice was not disappointed. The aroma of pears, oranges and limes really commands ones attention. It has that sort of vitality and presence that one often experiences with wine tasted upon the spot where it is grown. One is not aware of any sweetness, just lush ripe fruit mingled with limestone and resin balanced by fresh acidity. Luckily, we have four more bottles. The website suggests aging for 25 years. We’re better than halfway there, God willing.

TASTED 1/29/24

Prior to and during the disappointing loss for the Detroit Lions we decided to have a nice bottle of wine with a simple snack plate. I decanted a bottle of 1998 Chateau Poujeaux Moulis-en-Medoc (Red Blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with some Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot) Bordeaux FRANCE (12.5% abv) today about $50 for the 2020. This wine has a reputation for deep color and the 1998 certainly lives up to expectation being nearly black with just slight browning and transparency barely perceptible. The nose is greeted with a massive complex array of compost, tobacco, herbal nuances and aged blackberry brandy. It is ripe, lush and mouth filling and demands flavorful food as company. As it passes by the palate, the tannin really melts and finishes with a pleasant reminder of the nose. This is a very impressive wine though maybe a bit too demanding to enjoy with a simple snack. It would have probably been better served with a standing rib or other such roasted meat.

TASTED 1/23/2024

As you might have noticed, we enjoy tenderloin, shrimp, chicken, potato, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and cauliflower fondue quite frequently and it is always a great excuse to open a really nice bottle of wine. So tonight I decanted a bottle of 1999 Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon CA (14.2% abv) purchased at the winery, today’s price about $80 for the current vintage. Alice thoroughly enjoyed this wine, but good as it was, perhaps the fact that I preceded and succeeded it with one of my very favorite wines (Jean Leon 3055) may have dampened my enjoyment. Color is deep red showing no browning while the nose is as Napa as Napa gets; pure Napa Cab black fruit, cedar and “Rutherford dust” galore. More of the same on the palate with an exquisitely penetrating texture that stays well past the finish. It is a wine of finesse and purity. It is not a quaffer and certainly not a fat ripe fruit bomb. I do appreciate it for what it is, but honestly, I enjoyed the $15 Jean Leon more. Alice on the other hand felt that you get what you pay for and she is not a big fan of the Jean Leon.

TASTED 1/08/2024

Like many of the wines we especially enjoyed in 2023, we’re starting off with a “Carl’s pick”. That is, a wine chosen by our late friend Carl Tacey especially for Alice to add to the wine cellar. I think I mentioned before that Carl was the consummate expert on people, personalities and business acquisitions. What would that have to do with wine? To someone like me, very little, but Carl’s wine choices based mostly on who was making the wine, who owned the winery and what kind of people they were, seem to make for unerringly wise wine purchases. So last night while enjoying Michigan’s victory in the College National Championship game, Alice suggested a Carl’s pick. For some reason, I thought that 2012 Blackbird Vineyards Arise Napa Valley (58% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) Proprietary Red (14.6% abv) about $50 was a very expensive wine. When I looked it up, I was surprised that it wasn’t a lot more than $50 considering the price of notable wines these days. The nose is pure Napa ripe fruit with unmistakable finesse and that distinct cedar, black fruit, airy, almost minty, elegance. The palate sensation is one of richness without roughness and grip without excess tannin. The perfect balance lasts to the clean summation of everything preceding it. After tasting Arise, and reading the so-so reviews and not too outrageous price, I might even call this wine a value. Not low priced, but among the very best we’ve had in memory regardless of price. And, of course, in memory of our late friend.

Enjoy in Good Health,

A Brian Cain, the MIchigan Vintner