DAWGS offline at Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill in Addison, TX

This month we held out offline at Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill in Addison, TX.  Our theme for this month’s event was “American Wines - $50.00 and up”.  We had a fantastic turn out of 16 people.  All of the wines were good to excellent, the food excellent and the companionship as always the best.

I did not take any tasting notes this month for the first time in forever it seems but some people did so here is a list of the wines for the evening to which people can hopefully add their brief comments to each wine.

Table Alpha
2004 Aubert Chardonnay Quarry Vineyard
2002 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
2002 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir River Block
2003 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
1996 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Paloma Merlot
2003 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro
2001 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon

Table Omega
2004 Turley The White Coat
2001 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
1992 Joseph Phelps Insignia
1997 Phelps Insignia
1997 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
1997 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
2000 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve
2004 Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard

Here are my brief comments on the wines:

Table Alpha
2004 Aubert Chardonnay Quarry Vineyard
WIML92.  Good to very good wine as always.  Goldish color in the glass and definitely unfiltered!  Big nose and palate of vanilla, citrus fruits, etc…  I’d let sit another 6 months myself.  Should drink well for 5 years fairly easily.

2002 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
WIML88.  Slightly better than my previous tasting.  No barnyard notes this time.  Mostly simply mixed cherries on the nose and palate.  Drink now.

2002 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir River Block
WIML92?.  The more I tasted these Rochioli Pinots the more I want to give up other producers such as Kosta Browne for this much more “subtle” style of Pinot.  Still very young but a lovely nose and palate of black cherries/kirsch, mixed berries, etc…  Well integrated.  Could improve with a little more time in bottle.

2003 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
WIMLNR.  Not sure what was going on with this wine but I got an unusual aroma up front of something like petro or fertilizer or maybe sulphur.  Not sure.  Just one quick taste before I pressed on and didn’t have a chance to revisit.  No recommendation.

1996 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
WIML85.  Slight green and or vegetal on the nose and palate.  Drink now.

2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon
WIML88.  Unfortunately not the estate wine (cellar snafu).  Even at that this is a solid California Cabernet made in the Montelena style (absent the TCA).  Mostly red cherries and berries on the nose and palate right now.  Drink or hold.  

2003 Paloma Merlot
WIML91.  This was a big merlot.  Lot’s of dark berries and maybe some plums mixed in with the heavy mocha notes.  Drink now with a decant or hold another year.

2003 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro
WIML90. Big wine and very much a youthful wine with forboding tannins at this time. This was a sampler bottle and I was impressed enough at the moment to likely buy at least a couple more to put in the cellar and age a while to see where this goes and hopefully improve.

2001 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon
WIML93. Very good wine. Full of dark fruits on the nose and palate with some sweet berries as well. Well balanced. Ready now with a short decant but I'll likely hold my last bottle for 4 years or so and maybe drink it on the 10th anniversary.

Table Omega
2004 Turley The White Coat
Didn’t taste.

2001 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
Didn’t taste.

1992 Joseph Phelps Insignia
WIML92+.  The other table passed this to me blind and asked me my impressions.  Definitely a Califorina wine with blending grapes (i.e. not 100% cabernet).  Likely a slightly aged meritage around the 1995 vintage.  Somewhat reminds though of the 1992 Montelena Estate other than some of the floral components.  Solid wine on the nose and palate dominated mostly by red fruits such as cherries, berries and maybe some plum.  Good wine, balanced.  Ready to drink.

1997 Phelps Insignia
Didn’t taste.

1997 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Didn’t taste.

1997 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
WIML93+.  Huge wine.  Big nose of dark plums, berries and melted black licorice that carries through to the palate.  Lot’s of fruit left here, good acidity, plenty of tannins.  Definitely full bodied.  Could age even longer and I must admit it’s one of the better 1997 Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve had to date.

2000 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve
Didn’t taste.

2004 Kapcsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard
WIML93.  Big, big wine.  Huge nose dominated by blueberries.  At first whiff I thought I was drinking a California or maybe even Aussie Syrah.  Gobs of dark chewy fruits on the palate.  Good balance overall but this young wine is a bit overpowering in its’ youth and needs more time in bottle.

Looks like a nice line-up!