CLONYC XII- The wines of Thomas Rivers Brown with Thomas Rivers Brown

On Monday March 23 2009 CLONYC had the honor to host one of the countries top winemakers, Thomas Rivers Brown. Having garnered 2 -100 points in his last released vintage of Schrader is no small feat. Once you put points aside you realize that possibly everything he touches is golden. (I have never been a point chaser myself).

Thomas is humble, fun loving, unassuming and obviously very learned in his field. We had 19 of his wines, all furnished by him for this evening.

The conversations going around the table were smart and lively but the quiet while Thomas was answering a question was very noticeable. He had the full attention of all.

I had asked Thomas about his Jones Family participation going forward. He is very excited about the site and its sun kissed position and feels he can truly continue on nicely as well as grow both bottlings. I am a fan of Jones as was sure glad to hear it. 2008 will be his first there.

All the wines showed superbly. The Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon and the Maybach were incredible. When the night’s wines were all poured and people had the choice to choose what they wanted to just drink, I chose the Maybach, and so did Thomas. We two alone were guilty of killing it.

Thank you to Thomas Rivers Brown for his generosity and in being part of an unforgettable evening for myself and the group. It was a very laid back evening that will be difficult to match going forward.

2007 Outpost Grenache
2007 Maybach Eterium Chardonnay (Graciously sent by Chris Maybach)
2007 Rivers-Marie Thieriot Chardonnay
2007 Rivers-Marie Summa Pinot Noir
2007 Rivers-Marie Summa Old Pinot Noir
2007 Rivers-Marie Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
2007 Rivers-Marie Occidental Pinot Noir
2007 Rivers-Marie Willow Creek Pinot Noir
2006 Maybach Materium Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Schrader To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Schrader T-6 Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Schrader Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Outpost "True Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Rivers-Marie Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Tamber Bey Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon
2006 Diamond Terrace Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Two Hands Charlie's Patch Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dinner was at New York's North Square restaurant.Food & service was great and the private room was surely a bonus as we did not need to scream across the table just to be heard.


All notes by Mike Pobega
2007 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard - this was spectacular. It was golden hued and glossy. The nose was lemon rind and tall grass.. 100% new oak and it showed wonderfully.A very pure styles Chardonnay with great acidic lift and light and airy on the palate. Very creamy and loads of style. Very nice.

2007 Maybach Eterium Chardonnay - two barrels selection of the above wine. Less than 500 bottles will be available. Maybe. Similar in many ways but more minerality with the great lemon fruited notes. Intense and complicated this was great.

2006 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon- Floral nose and ungiving upon opening. 4 hours plus this had some great black fruits with super structure. A tremendous mouth feel. Great cassis and cola with a slight touch of camphor. There was the slightest note of sulphur, but it dissipated in the glass quickly. Such a big brawny wine with tons of finesse. Great.

2006 Maybach Materium- Soft camphor nose with great red and lack mix of cab fruits. This had a super elegant mouth feel on a conveyor belt of joy. Intensely stylistic with never approaching brooding. Pure clean lines and just a perfect wine all around.

2006 Schrader Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon- All the Schrader’s had a similar profile save for a certain something: This had the super long finish and persistent cover on the tongue. Super plush with crème de cassis and leather, this was great. Check out this note.

2006 Tamber Bey Cabernet Sauvignon - A sweet red and black fruit filed nose, this was multi dimensional and deep. An elegant and mind boggling wine that just keeps giving. What a great deal in today’s market. I will seek this one for my cellar.

2006 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon - This was medium dark in color. Some great black fruits veiled in some creamy vanilla. Big chewy tannins. A truly clean and pure cab with a long life ahead of it. Nice.

2006 Outpost Howell Mountain Cabernet- The one floored me. I have always been a Outpost Cab fan but I usually gush about the 'True'. This is hitting all the right notes in a big and pure way. Its got structure and backbone but yet elegant. I love this wine. A real QPR.

2006 Diamond Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon- An all black fruit nose with the color to match. Big and extracted with some brutish edges. Pure black cherry and blackberries with crème de cassis. An amazing mouth feel that goes on all night. What a great QPR to boot! A must seek out. But wait at least a few years to pop!

2006 Outpost True Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon- This is amazing. I have been a fan for a few years now and this is surely in top form. Black fruits and pure mouth fell, the balance and depth is to be witnessed in person. It has some wonderful kirsch and cola with some leather and earthiness. Tons of class and structure. A long finish completes the complete package. A must buy in ‘06

2006 Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon – Wow, this is the schnizzle all new world Cali cab drinkers seek. Dark and dense, with some wonderful notes of flower petals and violets on the nose. Darkish fruit profile with black-hole cassis, sassafras, black cherry, and black plums. Really impressive mouth fell and structure that brought joy to everyone on the tables face. Unbelievable. If you pass on any of the Schraders, don’t let it be this one, regardless of what got what points from whom……

2006 Schrader CCS- Like all of the other Schraders, the similarities are there. All wonderful wines with some great depth structure and finesse. Not to sound like a broken record as I am sure I do already, this is just beautiful and a must seek out for aficionados.

Two Hand Charlie’s Patch Cabernet Sauvignon- What an interesting wine. Very dark and brooding with some slightly angular structure. Currant, plums and black cherry cola with maybe a hint of green pepper. A decent finish. All in all a very nice cab if not in the same class of the Schraders but I would not refuse another sip if offered and I would certainly like to ‘experiment’ with this one again.

CLONYC XI - Ghost Horse et al.

This night was the night we were to dispel truth or myth about the highly controversial Ghost Horse Cabernet from Napa.
The theme was simple: Every guest was to bring a bottle of high end Napa Cabernet. All were tasted blind and only on the reveal would everyone find out what else was present. Double blind. The night started out with a few great champagnes. The Krug 1998 was awesome, but no notes were taken. There were some very big names here tonight and some very big disappointments.

Here is the order in which the Cabernets were served. (decided by the staff at Zoes, Soho).

Oh, by the way, Ghost Horse won.

2001 Abreu Madrona - This was medium dark in color. It had a slightly steamed meat nose which I did not like. There were some black fruits of sour black currants and blackberries present but they were masked by the heat. A little short on the finish.
2005 Grace Family - Weird right out of the gate. As John mentioned this was thin and uninspiring. I thought Shiraz, but no, Dan would not do that to us? Would he?
2003 Harlan Estate - Another medium colored wine with some Framboise, currant, and black cherries. It had a clean and nicely balanced mouth feel, and although a step up, still uninspired. Got better as time went on: took on some elegance and structure, but Harlan? Not! Easy WOTF. My #4 92/100
2005 Futo - Another weird one. Some soapy notes on the nose and maybe the band aid others noticed. Just not…..good. Unbalanced and unstructured. It did have some oak and edgy tannins. Bad.
2002 Shafer Hillside Select - This had some deeper and darker color. A nice cherry cola nose with some cassis and lass, but this also seemed a bit acidified? The tannin structure was a bit clumsy as well. A very nice lush mouth feel and a good long finish. 92/100
2005 Ghost Horse - This was hitting all cylinders and was greatly appreciated by this point of the nigh. It had deep dark color with great black fruits of cassis, blackberries and plum. Nice. Great elegance and structure showed breed and style. This was great. Very lush and smooth A long finish brought it home. I wish it has been maybe 5-8 degrees cooler in temperature though. Still all in all a great wine. WOTF, My #1. I had this pegged for the SHS or Harlan. 94/100
2001 Ghost Horse - Deep dark and perfumed, this was nice, but slightly lackluster in the nose and palate. There were nice reddish fruits of cherries and some blueberries hiding in there somewhere. Nice but I was wanting more….
2005 Merus - This was very different in style than anything on the table yet. Big brooding and well structured with very masculine lines. Nice dark black hole fruits of currant and boysenberry with some pomegranate. There was some soy and tarry leather. I had this pegged for the Maya strictly on the different showing. (I knew the wine line-up). 93/100
2005 Ramey Pedregal - This reminded me of Chianti. It had red tomato leaf notes which I found distracting. Awkward and unbalanced. Not a fan.
1999 Dalla Valle Maya - Another lackluster and insipid from the get go. Not too much nose, but the palate had some admirable red/black fruits and a lively acid level kept it alive ….NEXT!
2002 Araujo Eisele - Back on track: Great black cherries and kirsch. Some cola and cocoa. Very nice. I wish this had more Oomph though. It was a bit feminine, but graceful and elegant. A good long finish. Very nice indeed. 93/100

CLONYC X - Some Cabs by Thomas Rivers Brown

The lineup: (all notes by Mike Pobega)

1) 2007 Barrel sample from fellow CLONYC member Steve Eisenhauer's new venture: Congruence.
2) Blind entry- 2004 Schrader Double D
3) 2004 Maybach Materium
4) 2005 Maybach Materium
5) 2004 Schrader Tokalon
6) 2004 Schrader CCS
7) 2004 Schrader RBS
8) 2005 Outpost True Vineyard
9) 2003 Rivers Marie
10) The Zoe field blend of Schraders 3

2007 Congruence-- 3 site Cabernet, Napa- Steve Eisenhauer's wine surely made a splash. Nice medium to dark color, very pretty floral nose. I sensed some Petit Verdot, but was assured none was in the mix. The palate has a nice pure mouth feel that exhibited deep dark cassis and black cherries. Nicely balanced and elegant. If there is something I would like to see in this is a bit more backbone, as they are being judicious with the French oak. Smartly so. This was my number 5 on the evening! Number 6 was the Schrader ToKalon! Throughout the night this really held its own. I kept it in my glass all night and made sure to take seconds early on.

The two stars of the evening: 2004 & 2005 Maybach Materium
2004 Maybach Materium- (double decanted 4.5 hours) Dark and intense. The nose showed a wall of fruit that raged from the glass. Wow. There was black berry, black cherry, dark currant, black plums, some tobacco, some sweet kirsch, Wow. The purity of this multi-fruited profiled wine is both mind blowing and mind-boggling. Elegant and precise, this is a Cab drinkers Cab. I sat with this all night and it kept changing places with its younger brother always fighting for first place. A long finish and wow. Anyone who thinks wow wines do not exist needs to taste this one treated with the correct decant and respect. One more time….. Wow 95/100
2005 Maybach Materium – (double decanted 1.5 hours) The family resemblance is uncanny, just the clothing is different. This had the dark brooding color with the slightly more subdued, but ever present wall of fruit. The red and black fruits created such a fruit medley of love. Slightly bigger in scale than the 04, this had more oak, and more tannic structure, but hey, it’s a year younger. Black cassis wrapped chocolate cherries with pure blackberry and licorice. The balance and purity is staggering. Long and intense, this wine kept vying for pole position with its older brother, taking the lead no less than 3 times. The photo-finish results proved it was nose behind, yet I will give it a 95/100

I am not alone in these findings. Read my lips: get on this list…today.I will update the other notes when I have some time.

2004 Schrader Double D- This was served blind on my request, so only Kevin and I knew what it was. it was fun watching the group guess, and I think Ben may have figured it out but changed his mind when he thought it was not a TRB wine, but the back label said different. This had good color with some easy going, but slightly subdued fruits of blackcherries and red plums. I got a bit of something like Petit Verdot? It had a bit of heat. A nicely balance wine surely made to please and I thought it a very good wine for its original price point. 88/100
2004 Schrader Tokalon- This was super concentrated and dark. A nice, but somewhat subdued nose of blackberry, camphor, vanilla and black plum. This may be in a slump, as the one we had late last year showed much better. Still no slouch. Nice firm body and class was evident, just not as showy tonight as I like. Great long finish, with just a touch more acidity than I remembered. 90/100
2004 Schrader CCS- A very similar profile to the Tokalon as Sherri said, but a bit creamier and fuller with just a bit more reddish fruits up front. A little heat on the tail end, but not all that detracting for me as it may be for some. 92/100
2004 Schrader RBS- Sherri hit the nail here, it had the boldness. It was slightly brighter than the other two in the fruit department. great mouthfeel and texture on the tongue, and for this reason I thought it closer to the Tokalon than the CCS. 92/100
These all had a certain something similar though, and we even wondered out loud about the need to have multiple bottlings. So we created our field blend.
2004 Schrader/Zoes Field Cabernet- 3 equal parts of all three above. Wow, I could never imagine how 3 similar wines could create something altogether different. disjointed and angular. Kevin mentioned it was best before the RBS added in, I was in the camp that thought the Tokalon waved a heavier hand. Fun and interesting, but we will leave the blending to the pros thank you very much!

It was a great night, maybe CLONYCs greatest. (And that is real tough to pull off).

CLONYC #8 - Mature Mayacamas and Bella Oaks with Impeccable Provenance

All tasting notes courtesy MikeP
Last night. 9 thirsty souls converged on Zoë in SoHo for the ritual of consuming red wine, eating great fare, and hanging with a few buds. Not just any red wine mind you but some old Cali Cabs. This group was relaxed and fun loving. Enough wit for a group thrice its size I might add. It’s always good to see old friends and make new. The food was top notch and the service impeccable as always.
Thanks to Steve G for bringing that wonderful 2000 Kistler McCrea Chardonnay. It was pure and elegant. A perfectly matured example of a varietal I don’t know much of.
Thanks to Greg DP for acquiring those 3 big bottles and offering up graciously the Martinis from his own cellar.
Thank you Steve E for the Cask 23 and Blankiet. Your generosity overflows…both figuratively & literally.

And now…the wines:
1974 Louis Martini Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon; nose of maderized red wine, or port. Musty dried sour dark cherries. This had most definitely seen its better days. N/R
1975 Louis Martini Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, not very dissimilar to the 1974. The maderization was in full swing. This slowly turned to wet cardboard. Hmmm? N/R
1976 Louis Martini Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon, this has a subdued nose of dried red fruits. Some soy, tobacco, spice and tar were evident on the palate. Although slightly oxidized, this was actually quite nice. Very elegant. This must have been a stunner 10 years back. 88/100

1973 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon (from magnum), now we’re talking. This had a great lush dark resolved fruit profile that belied its age. The color was dark. There was great dark currant, blackberry, tar, cocoa, and so much more going on. I kept this glass alive until the end of the night. It changed and evolved getting lusher and deeper. The finish was long. If tasted blind I would place this at about 6 or 7 years of age. This 35 year old was amazing. (Comforting & the night's first warm blanket) 94/100
1975 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon (from magnum). Something interesting when a great wine is followed by an even greater wine. This wine in itself was worth the price of admission for the night. Dark brooding color. Silky dark fruited and jam packed full of character. This had a wonderful fully resolved tannin level acted like a conveyor for all else. Some soy, cedar box, tobacco, & cassis. This wine needed a night to watch. A long finish that was like hitting a birdie on 18 that gets you smiling and planning your next outing even before you get back to the cart., here, your next taste. (If the Martinis were grandparents of the night, this was the mistress you must throw your wallet at). 96/100
1977 Heitz Bella Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon. This was pure 1970s California…. fast-forwarded. Slightly edgy and rustic. A nice dark fruit profile that seemed masked by a matured high oak level? Not quite sure. Some currant and spice, and some other nice secondaries. Kevin to my right loved it so, I emptied my glass and got myself more of that '75 Mayacamas. 89/100

1991 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23. This was dark and brooding. Much more in today’s style of Napa Cabernet. Deep vanilla and cassis on the nose. A wonderful purity. The palate a very elegant currant, tar, cocoa, cedar, & vanilla, this was a hedonistic wine. Structured, classy elegant and brawny all at once. Just a balanced beauty. A long smooth finish that went on for 45 seconds. 17 and acting like 7. 94/100
2002 Blankiet Merlot. Merlot? Yes, Merlot. My friend Steve was gracious enough to open this at the end of the evening. I wish I had 3 hours to appreciate and watch this sexy beast. Plush dark cherry pie and ripe tomato leaf on the nose. The palate had the cherries, black and red plums, cocoa, and anise. The mouth feel was incredible: round and soft, but firm and structured. It harkened memory of a wonderful Ch. Figeac I had many years ago, (when I drank that sought of thing that is…). I would have rated this higher if it did not remind me initially of Chianti on the nose. 91/100

Who ever said that California Cabs can’t age? These Mayacamas behaved like children more than middle agers.

CLONYC #8 - 1970s Cabs at Zoe ('74-'76Martini/'73&'74Mayacamas/'77Heitz Bella Oaks)

All notes courtesy Ben Sherwin
2000 Kistler Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma MountainI'm not a huge Kistler fan, but this wine was quite good. I'd suspect that this wine once smelled of buttered popcorn, but the buttery oak has certainly integrated leaving a pleasing Chardonnay popcorn along with some intense citrus. It was quite interesting in the mouth with very good intensity and complexity to the smoky fruit with a slight herbal spiciness. While the wine had an admirable minerality to it, I couldn't help to nitpick that I'd have liked a bit more acidity to match the ripeness. Nevertheless, it was wonderfully persistent and matched nicely with scallops.
Shaken Martinis
Greg brought these museum pieces that he had acquired off the sweat of his brow and the change in his pocket. With crumbly corks and just decent fills, it appeared we were in store for a real crap shoot. That's pretty much what we got to with a pretty decent range of quality. The general consensus was in favor of the '76, although both Greg and Greg T. preferred the '75. I didn't get that at all, but different strokes, especially when it comes to older wines.
1974 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection - USA, California, Napa ValleySadly, this tasted a bit past its prime. It started out a bit reductive and rubbery, but that cleared leaving an interesting savory nose of cassis and dried leaves. It seemed slightly madierized on the palate, with the one distinctive characteristic being a persistently long finish of amaretto. Blind, I would have said this was an extremely old Nebbiolo, as it didn't have much Cabernet character left. The ripe rabbit that has been passed by the tortoises of the less famous vintages.
1975 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection - USA, California, Napa ValleyI know Greg liked this one, but I found it rather disappointing. I never got passed the grassiness and rubber ball smell and the palate was a touch sour with really tired fruit. If there was more fruit, perhaps the dill wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did. Ultimately, whatever balance this wine once had has been lost to the ether.
1976 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection - USA, California, Napa ValleyHere is a wine I can get behind, although it was more pleasant than earth-shattering (which is fine). The funky, reductiveness that it had at first receded and gave way to dusty blackcurrants and earthy mushrooms. It had a gentle body and decent palate presence, although it lacked a certain amount of intensity that would elevate it to oustanding. As it is, it was very good, but I'd certainly drink these up if you have any.
4.5 Liters of Outstanding Cabernet
Well, at least 3.0 liters. These wines were all out of magnums that were in absolutely pristine condition. These wines really speak to the storage element to the tasting of wine, with the Martinis as a counterpoint. The corks were fantastic, the fills unbelievable and the wines were...
1973 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa ValleyWhat a wine, what a wine. Dark and lovely, it was magic from the second it was in the glass. The nose was a gentle dusty cassis intermingled with dill (I'd expect this saw a fair bit of American oak in its day). It continued to evolve in the glass and gained complexity with cigar ash and earth. It had a certain tranquility in the mouth, not that it lacked vivacity, but in a way that showed great self-assurance and restraint. It was an effortless wine in the mouth, with smoky dark fruit that was reminiscent of mature Graves, but with a sweetness to the fruit that was quite California. Here was a wine truly in balance with each element clean and precise. A truly classic Claret and a revelation.
1975 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa ValleyThis wine started slowly and built to an amazing crescendo. Unmistakably California Cabernet, it displayed brawny and brambly mountain fruit with a youthful vibrancy that belied its age. It evolved beautifully in the glass, picking up charcoal, mint and earth, without fading one iota. The dark profile of the fruit carries through to the palate where it showed great breadth and power. There is still a fair amount of tannin to resolve, but it surrounds and elevates the sweet California fruit rather than obscuring it. Impeccable balance and precision carry through to a long and tasty finish. A remarkable wine that should continue to evolve.
1977 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Bella Oaks - USA, California, Napa Valley, OakvilleI thought this was going to continue the streak of great mature CA Cabs, but after a brief promise it faded. The nose initially showed dark plum mixed with cocoa powder and leather, but dipped a bit picking up some soy notes and generally becoming more reticent on the fruit side. It didn't have much intensity or weight in the mouth, although it was not at all unpleasant. It just seemed to struggle a bit to keep up with the 2 wines next to it. Still, it was clearly well crafted, even if a bit tired.
Clearly we didn't have enough wine......so we opened these gifts of Steve E., whose generosity is only matched by his foolishness for agreeing to open them. The '91 Cask 23 seemed remarkably young compared to the two earlier flights, but it was a precocious teen with lots of upside. The Blankiet was too out of place for proper evaluation in my opinion.
1991 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap DistrictThis wine tasted remarkably youthful next to the '70s Cabs, but it did not lack for hints of maturity. The fruit was deep, dark and intense with some secondary elements of mocha, charcoal and anise. It was quite full in the mouth with excellent concentration. With very good structural elements, the best is yet to come for this wine.
2002 Blankiet Estate Merlot Paradise Hills Vineyard - USA, California, Napa ValleyCompletely out of place, this came across as a bit disjointed next to the mature wines at the table. I found it someone flat and reedy on the nose and had a hard time picking up the fruit profile. It was extremely tannic in the mouth and was pretty much close for business. That said, since it was only showing structure, let me say that those elements were well constructed. I'm not sure that I'd give up on this wine, but I would leave it alone for a good long time.

CLONYC #7 - To Kalon-athon

All notes courtesy MikeP

A group of eager wine aficionados gathered at Zoe Restaurant in Soho to cross sample some recent and past offerings from the famed To Kalon vineyard in Napa Valley. 430 acres owned mostly by Robert Mondavi Winery (over 311 acres), with the second part being Andy Beckstoffers (89 acres). The third ‘experimental’ vineyard being in the care of UC of Davies (20 acres). All this in the sub-appellation of Oakville.

The stories that accompany this land is the stuff Hollywood can’t make up. The wine though is the real deal.

We started with a mature and surprisingly nice 1996 Robert Mondavi To Kalon I Block Fume Blanc- nice deep straw color. Great balance. Some lemon and floral notes. No signs of age. Ultra pure and super enjoyable. A great example of an 11 year old sauvignon blanc. What I like to call ‘a good start!” 90/100

We also had an interesting bottle of Rhone white brought by Steve E. I am sure someone can note on it better than me. (there was the INTENSE Petroleum Jelly thing happening though). Thanks Steve.

I must mention Stephen and his staff at Zoe out did themselves. The food was top notch and the service perfect. An interesting wine pouring format evolved; The staff poured 2 ounces per glass, leaving almost a third in the bottle. This differed from dinners in the past where the bottle was shaken empty on the final pour. I like this format, as it gave the guests a chance to 're-visit' wines they liked, between flights while having the ability to actually taste wine #11, 12 &13 and still be being able to make conclusions and form lucid opinions on these wonderful wines. I myself have been to offlines where the last wine was WOTN, and I never even remember tasting it.

1993 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Reserve – Out of the gate this was somewhat funky on the nose. The palate revealed some decent fruit and the signature Mondavi mouth feel and acid level. Dark fruits of currant and black cherries. Some tar and cocoa. All in all a nice bottle that may be a bit past its prime. 4/5 years past its prime.
A gift to from Steve Gellman. Thank you Steve. 87/100
1998 Oakford Cabernet To Kalon – Very pretty on the nose. Nice mouth feel and balance considering it’s from the atrocious 98 vintage. In that context this is a winner. What is does not have is that ‘manufactured’ quality many 98s did/do. A great effort with very nice floral fruit. 89/100
1999 Behrens & Hitchcock Cabernet To Kalon – some VA right off the bat. The palate was a bit better. This was an ‘edgy grapey’ wine. N/A
2004 Provenance Cabernet To Kalon – I have always been a fan of Tom Rinaldi's wines. This is a very smooth sweet-fruited cabernet that fills a niche from time to time. I am not sure it’s a very food friendly wine tough. Nice currant/cassis and blackberry. Soft tannins and a nice finish. A very certain style that appeals to some and not others. Typically Rinaldiesque. 89/100
2004 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Reserve – When I put this dinner together I was conflicted on letting Mondavi Reserves in. I know in the past there has occasionally been a To Kalon designated Reserve in addition to the regular Reserve, or at least in place? I also know that most of the fruit is To Kalon (hell, 40-50% of the Napa bottling has Mondavi To Kalon fruit).
I am truly glad I relented. This is an amazing wine. There is a certain quality that this shows off, (please bear with me if you will); this has an underlying balance of fruit, or a ledge of fruit that climbs as the wine travels to the back of the palate, to well after 30 seconds of disappearance. A smooth but intense tannin level, and the signature Mondavi acid brought up a notch. Wow. This was showing some secondary qualities already! Wonderful depth and a long elegant finish that makes you want to seek the bottle for just a bit more. (I did :)). I would love to have a half dozen of these in my cellar. Elegant, stately, and sumptuous. Did I say WOW? 94/100
2005 Château Boswell Jacquelynn Beckstoffer To Kalon– The oak stood out of this, but it was not negative in any way (at least to me). Others found it too oaky though. I like the vanilla component it adds. When combined with the reddish fruits, this was a very sexy wine. There was some tobacco and tar and smooth clean ripe cassis. Great balance and a long finish complete the package. (my third, and the only vote in any of the top three) 93/100
2002 Realm Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon – This is a very 4 square wine; it’s correct, but a boxy & clumsy cabernet that may be resting a bit. Somewhat monolithic. One setup for the long haul. You can sense the ultra dark fruits, and amazing tight tannin weave. Maybe the elegance on the table wins out over the brutes. 5 years should do this wonder. 89/100
2004 Realm Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon – Not too dissimilar than the 2002, this had a bit more to give. Some more intense fruits as well as balance structure and poise. A little crossover of the styles on the table. This also needs time. (Decanted 12 hours). 90/100
2002 Karl Lawrence Beckstoffer To Kalon Reserve – This was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe the bottle? Some thought it was ‘off’. I may have to agree, or at least hope. It was hollow, and flabby in the middle. There was a diluted quality as well. N/A (but then again, it's the groups #4!).
2003 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon - Dark color, super deep dark fragrance of cassis and cocoa and leather. This had it all going on. A medley of wonder. Fantastic length. I would not mind securing a few. Just a stupendous wine. 92/100
2004 Schrader Cabernet To Kalon – Ben wanted WOTN, and got it. This is a stunning phenomenal wine. Great deep color, just like a black hole. Similar to the Hobbs but more showy and elegant (if possible). Amazing cabernet structure and a mouth feel that is out of the world. I have run out of…words. 96/100 Groups WOTN, My WOTN

WOTN 2004 Schrader Cabernet To Kalon
2nd place 2004 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Reserve
3rd place Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon

In my best Gordon Ramsay voice: " Mikes To Kalon-athon tasting notes, stuffed with hot air and wrapped in pancetta.....DONE".

CLONYC #6 - Napa's Cultish Cabernets

CLONYC #6
Napa's Cultish Cabernets
All notes courtesy Ben Sherwin

A great event with some great wines. I love mature wines as much as the next guy, but there is nothing wrong with enjoying something bright and shiny. To say you can't love both is like saying you can't love soccer and football. Things linked at their core, but fundamentally different. So, 12 of us celebrated the greatness of Napa Cabernet the best way we know how...by drinking it. Missing were the big boys (Colgin, Harlan, Sloan, etc.), but I think we got a pretty damn good collection of wines if I do say so my damn self.

Thanks to Mike for organizing (as always). I'm not sure I've been to a more contentious tasting, but it was all in good fun. Thanks to everyone for bringing such great wines.We started with a...

2005 Eric Kent Wine Cellars Chardonnay Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River ValleyA nice example of RRV Chardonnay. Somewhat reticent on the nose with some white stone fruit and toast, but it really comes alive fruit-wise (peach and melon) on the palate. Decent acidity and a hint of minerality. Nice complexity through the midpalate with hints of exotic spice. The oak was tucked in pretty nicely, although it probably could use another year in the bottle.

...before starting in earnest.

A slow start

Nothing wrong with any of these wines, but none that really blew the doors off. Clearly the least favored flight of the night. For my money, the V29 was the clear stand out.

1994 Behrens & Hitchcock Cabernet Sauvignon Staglin - USA, California, Napa ValleyA nice Cabernet that I ultimately found a bit linear and lacking in complexity for a wine of this maturity. The nose was pleasant enough with some white flowers, blackcurrant and anise. Decent weight with a slight herbal quality on the midpalate that wasn't there on the nose. The tannins were fully resolved and while this probably has some life left, I doubt its going to get any better. Not a bad wine, just outclassed by the competition.

1995 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, OakvilleI sense that this would have been a better wine to sit down to a meal with rather than sample at a tasting. The nose was quite prefumy with lots of cherry, herbs and anise. Unfortunately, I picked up a big dose of VA that really messed it up for me. I could see how others might think it was an elevating characteristic, but I found it off-putting. The midpalate was a little flat as the tannins have not released their chalky grip on this wine. My guess is that it could have used a quick decant.

1997 Vineyard 29 Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. HelenaNow we're talking. A nicely made wine with clearly delineated varietal characteristics. Expressive nose of sweet, dark fruit, licorice and tobacco leaf. Smooth entry to a lush wine that shows off nice depth and concentration. Finishes long and complex with a little baking spice on the back end. Not a blockbuster, but a seamless soup to nuts effort. WOTF.

The Wines of Mark Herold

The flight of the night by a wide margin. The Meruses (Meri?) showed beautifully and the Kobalt really showed some great bang for the buck. The 2002 Merus was a revelation.

1999 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa ValleyA rich, dense wine that is one of the better wines I've had from this (not my favorite) vintage. Beautiful, exhuberant nose of cassis, black cherry, earth and leather with a sweetness that walks the right side of porty. Perhaps a soupçon of VA? Big, round and juicy in the mouth and, while fruit is the hallmark of this wine, it is framed admirably by an underlying acidity and ample tannin. I found it interesting that the wine showed well right away and didn't really change much in the glass. My guess is that it will plateau at this level for the next 5 or 6 years, although it's got the stuff to last at least another 10.

2002 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa ValleyA massive wine, with exceptional depth and breadth. Soaring nose of dark black fruit, toast and asian spices. Also hints of black licorice and a hint of pepper. Plush and sensuous it spreads out over the palate without losing its focus. While it had tremendous weight, it never feels heavy and maintains a surpising nimbleness. It possesses the impeccable structure and balance that you'd expect from Merus and that will carry this wine for a long, long time. This is only going to get better, but it's a WOW wine right now. Superb. WOTF and WOTN

2003 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa ValleyA nice effort from an uneven vintage. It doesn't knock your socks off, but more grows on you as it sits in the glass. Expressive nose of black and blue fruit, ample vanilla and bacon fat. This wine is absolutely packed on the palate. Assuming that it unwinds in an organized fashion, I think this will be even more impressive. The tannins are ripe and lack the harshness that makes this an uneven vintage. Good now, I think this a good one to lay down for a while, depending on whether you like your pleasures intellectual or visceral.

A Mixed Bag

I liked this flight better than others and this flight held the most disagreements about individual wines. Still, nothing to shake a stick at here.

2003 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley A young, stellar wine, it possesed an interesting, complex and evolving nose. It started out more on the salty, savory side with some notes of grilled meat, but some the red fruit picked up nuance of anise, chocolate and white truffle. It showed ample weight as the fruit turned darker on the palate and picked up some asian spice, always with the telltale chocolate. Still, for all the interesting elements, I didn't feel it was tightly knit together at this point. Decanted for almost 6 hours, it still evolved in the glass. I'm not sure if it knows what it wants to be yet and I'd definitely recommend holding for a long while. WOTF and 3rd place WOTN

2002 Blankiet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Hills Vineyard - USA, California, Napa ValleyA big powerhouse of a wine, this could have used some heavy duty decanting. Even so, it showed some nice spicy, savory black fruit with nice elements of white flowers and mocha on the nose. It is exceptionally tightly wound on the palate and if that solid core of fruit ever explodes, then look out. This wine was clearly built to last and I would keep my hands off for now.

N.V. ZD Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Abacus - USA, California, Napa ValleySolid and fairly seamless, the effortlessness it displays renders it somewhat unexciting. It just felt a little textbook next to some of the other wines. Still, it had nice complexity with deep black fruit, licorice and tobacco leaf. It was interesting to try a Cabernet solera.

Bringing It Home Strong

Not a bad way to finish off the night.

2002 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap DistrictIf it is possible to feel bad for a wine, I feel bad for this one. I've had it a couple of times and I think it really suffers for the albatross of the 100 point score. That's perfection, so it's almost like a gotcha trying to find flaws instead of enjoying it for what it is...an extraordinary wine. That said, I'm not sure of the value of opening this wine now, other than to track its evolution. I just find it to be a massive wall o' wine right now, not unlike tasting a young first growth (which is probably an apt comparison). An inch wide and a mile deep. Nonetheless, everything is there and one can't help admiring it for what it will be if what it is now is something less. Like watching a young Mozart. WOTF and 2nd place WOTN

2003 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon Cohn Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, RutherfordAnother bruiser of a wine. The nose really jumps out and grabs you with deep, dark fruit fruit, espresso, licorice and toast. Tightly packed layers of fruit slowly open in the glass providing rich, chewy pleasure even to the most fatigued palate. Great concentration and wonderful focus for such a big wine. It will be interesting to see where this goes in terms of developing the more complex nuances for which we love Cabernet. A stellar first effort.

2004 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium - USA, California, Napa Valley, OakvilleA bit out of its depth next to the HSS and Scarecrow, it is the nevertheless a classy, well-made effort. Not surprising for a wine this young, the oak is a bit fatiguing, but there are some really nice elements here. The nose is expressive if not explosive with black and blue fruit, white flowers and, yes, toasty oak. It picks up speed as it hits the mouth with black cherry, cassis and black plums nicely layers and easily delineated. The tannins are ripe and sweet and provide a nice lift to the mouthfeel. I'd give this some time. It has ample structure and is impeccably balanced to weight out some of the awkwardness that it shows at the moment. I don't think it will ever be a great wine, but I'm a fan.

__________________Ben