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Wines for Good Times… |
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| By David Graham & Mark Lesti | |
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Where we revel our way through several
fine bottles of |
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1999
Corley Family, Proprietary Red Wine, Napa Valley - $50.00 |
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| 1999 Corley Family, Proprietary Red Wine, Napa Valley | |
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The
Corley family owns Monticello Vineyards and has designated this
label for its premium wines. The wine, a classic blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot marks the debut of this line
of wines. A great debut! Full, rich, warm, all were noted from our
tasting. Mark enjoyed the nice textures and the spiciness added
by the Franc. I was taken with the complexity and great balance.
Though young, this wine was approachable, and after an hour of breathing,
the fruit and berry qualities came through. With our duck confit
and wild rice, the wine bloomed! High marks, and another in our
list of “out of the way wines” worth looking up! David: 3/4 glass Mark: full glass |
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| 2000 Trefethen Vineyards, Dry Riesling, Napa Valley Estate | |
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Trefethen Vineyards produces great wines on a consistent basis
and has done so for decades. This Riesling is a grand example: a
dry, yet fruity and floral wine, it has all the wonderful components
of the varietal in a clean, forward, delightful wine. Mark wrote
of the great hibiscus and honeysuckle nose, the clean well-balanced
body, and the light, just off dry, finish. I wrote of spring and
picnics and horseback riding that would match so well with this
wine. We ate a light strawberry tart, and the wine just got better! David: full glass Mark: 3/4 glass |
| 2000 Saddleback Cellars, Viognier | |
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Saddleback has a great reputation for its wines, and once you try this Viognier you will know why. Crisp and summer-like, with the marvelous nose that fills the room upon its opening, the wine is full of the tropical fruit and palate-cleansing acids that help this wine be so food-friendly. Melon, pear and nice hints of Meyer lemon abound. Mark was pleased with this wine, felt it well balanced, and a real treat. Put me on that same page, I found this a great sippin’ wine! With a chicken masala and jasmine rice, we found a perfect combo! David: 3/4 glass Mark: 3/4 glass |
| 1998 Elyse Winery, Syrah, Napa | |
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Elyse Winery is a great find no matter which wine of theirs you
pick. But pick this Syrah if you can, as it holds such rich and
wonderful flavors! Just pop the cork and you catch the spice, blueberry
jam and vanilla bean aroma. Pour it into the glass and you catch
the intensity of color, taste, and the earthy notes, the allspice,
the smoky oak and the fruit all crowd your palate. Mark and the
panel were quite happy with this choice, as was I. The wine needs
a half hour in the glass to open to its fullest, and with our cheese
platter and roasted nuts, this wine kept our party going! David: 3/4 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
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| 1999 Murphy-Goode Estate Winery, Petit Verdot, Alexander Valley | |
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Murphy-Goode has produced good to great wine over many years and
has held firm in its pricing, allowing affordable gems to be had
by many. This Petit Verdot is one of these. An interesting varietal
generally used in blending and known for adding richness and color
to Bordeaux wines, winemaker David Ready, Jr. offers it as the main
event here (there is 21% merlot in the mix to give more complexity).
Mark, myself and the panel all had similar positive notes, with
pleasant surprise and interest in the character of this wine. The
Petit Verdot had a great chewy texture, with plums, ripe berry and
a sweet oak finish. Though still tannic and big, the wine held together
well and was perfect for our vindaloo and Indian curry. An interesting
wine to try with friends! David: 1/2 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
| 2000 Luna Vineyards ‘Amici’, Late Harvest Pinot Grigio, Napa Valley | |
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Luna, ever ready to take a different path, has produced this late
harvest Pinot Grigio. John Kongsgaard and Kelly Wheat, winemaster
and winemaker respectively, crafted this interesting Alsatian-styled
wine that can swing as a light dessert wine or aperitif and is just
all ‘round fun! Like their traditional Pinot Grigio, this wine
has the fig blossom, nutty, white peach nose and flavors, but with
a decidedly sweet finish. Mark was as happy as I when we tasted
this wine with our strawberry crepes with a balsamic fig glaze.
The wine was delightfully clean, crisp and had a just-right fruitiness!
Looking for the unusual? Drop by the winery and grab this wine when
you have the chance! David: 1/2 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
| 1998 Valley of the Moon Winery, Cuvee de la Luna, Sonoma County | |
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This Sonoma County blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab
Franc is built around the best lots and is winemaker Pat Henderson’s
effort in the “Meritage” class. Rich in color and full
of fruit, this offering bodes well for Valley of the Moon Winery
as it extends itself into the premium wine market. Mark felt the
wine had a good structure, but lost a bit in the finish. He liked
the tobacco and peppery notes but agreed with panel comments that
it seemed a touch over-oaked. I liked the toasty qualities and caught
a nice cherry and ripe fruit. When we dined on seared Ono, sweet
onions and preserved lemon we found the wine big enough to hold
up, and balanced enough to make it enjoyable. David: 1/2 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
| 1998 Pacific Star Winery, Dad’s Daily Red, Mendocino | |
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A throwback to the good old days (I still remember David Bruce
and his Old Dog Red), when a field blend of the grapes on property
was pressed, lightly treated and drunk daily, this wine offers a
delight at a great price! Simple and fruity, with a spicy Zinfandel
nose, the wine is an easy drinking tribute to winemaker Sally Ottoson’s
father. We enjoyed it with al dente pasta with Roma tomatoes, garlic,
olive oil and capers. A fun and likeable wine—try it with your
dad! David: 1/2 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
| 2000 Husch, Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley | |
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Husch has been producing a nice and at times outstanding collection of wines for some time. It also remains one of the few wineries able or willing to produce Gewurztraminer of consistent quality. A heady blend of dried apricot, peach and Old World spices greets you as the cork is pulled. A promise of the same flavors on the palate, with good acids and the floral finish that made us all smile! Mark, though not a grand fan of the lighter whites, found a lot to like in this one. I am always happy to taste a Gewurztraminer from a winery that respects the wine and produces a wine that is not cloying or too sweet. This wine was perfect with our charred shrimp in coconut milk with yam and plantain mashers. A treat for summer as well. David: 1/2 glass Mark: 1/2 glass |
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About the authors: David Graham lives in Napa, operates his business, chases after his two marvelous sons and still finds time to buy, trade, and drink wine. He feels that anyone, even with limited experience, can still figure out which wines are likeable (and which ones one likes least). Mark Lesti also lives in Napa, has a beautiful wife and wonderful children, is CFO for a local company, and has a bigger wine cellar than David. Mark approaches wine from the enjoyment and the experience and not from the label. He too feels that even those as limited as David can enjoy wine. These two guys hope that you, too, will explore, investigate, and enjoy your choices in wine.
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A note on the ratings:
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