My ratings scale:
= What a shame...
= A nice find...
= Hey...this is something...
= I could buy a LOT of this...
= WOW!!!
In no particular order:
1975 BV Georges de Latour Reserve Very nice porty, complex, warm nose. No fruit remaining on the palate. Very soft, subtle tannins. A disappointing wine from the stand point that the nose was so great and there was nothing else.
2000 James Henry Russian River Valley Chardonnay (Gold Ridge) Huge apple nose with NO OAK!!! (YIPEE!!!) Very fruity and crisp on the palate. This is a Chardonnay I could drink regularly.
2000 Sine Qua Non A Cappella This was my first experience with SQN and boy was it great. Very nice spicy nose. For me, I detected cinnamon and anise with a little strawberry. Very fruity, smooth as silk. A terrific wine!!!
1999 Artesa Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon One of WS high rated wines from last year. When this bottle was opened, we had already been through some good wine and I found this one (at the time) to be quite oaky...I like skwid's descriptor of "drinking toothpicks". Although, this did settle down considerably. Nice nose (once the oak died down) of cassis and black cherry. Medium tannins. Tobacco and plum on the finish.
2001 Monchhof Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese My first Riesling in quite some time. Beautiful lemon, peach nose. Very fruity with a sweet, smooth finish.
1990 La Jota Vineyards Napa Valley Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Big and earthy. Full of very complex, fruity and spicy aromas with a hearty, beefy palate. Soft tannins and very structured. This is a wine you could sink your teeth into. GREAT! My WOTN!!!
1999 David Arthur Cabernet Sauvignon The only things I wrote down for this were: big, bold and fruity. My wife clung to this bottle for dear life as other folks tried to sample the juice. I think this was her WOTN.
2000 Pride Merlot Wind Whistle This was a nice Merlot. I picked up some vanilla and soft fruit on the nose. This wine on the palate was somewhat tight and had medium tannins. Probably needed some more time in the bottle to soften up.
2000 Spring Valley Vineyard URIAH The last time I had this wine was in Nov. This go around: fruity, blackberry, raspberry nose with soft fruit and mild tannins on the palate.
1994 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon The only thing I had written down for this: Fruit bomb. Others at the table who had had this wine before were somewhat disappointed in this wine. Not me!
2000 Spelletich Cellars Zinfandel - Tim and Edie's Vineyard Shenandoah Valley This Zin had an alcohol content of 17%. This is one Zin that could ALMOST go the distance up against a Martinelli Zin. This Zin did not have that hot, high alcohol content nose. It was fruity, peppery and full of spice. Fantastic on the palate. Most people who tried this Zin commented with a "WOW" as they drank.