Recent Tasting Notes

I know this is the time of year when a lot of wine gets opened. It's probably a good time to review how some of our previous vintages are coming along now.

One of the best sources is Cellartracker:

http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Notes&szSearch=stefania

Here are thoughts on some things we've opened in the last month:

2007 Haut Tubee - California

Really spicy and rich. Think this would go really well right now with stews or roasted meats. I think this wine will actually keep for a bit and if you don't get to it this winter, it will hold fine for a few years.

2006 Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah - Mendocino County

Getting an 'old world' nose. I've seen it in a few tasting notes online that people mistake this wine for something from the Northern Rhone in blind tastings. Makes me think serving it with mushrooms is a good idea. Still floral and fruity but with a great 'funk'.

2007 Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah - Mendocino County

This has been slow to develop the floral nose of the 05 and 06, but it's coming out now. Richer textured than the 06 I think this will age longer. I'm putting ours aside until spring and lamb season.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon - Santa Cruz Mountains

Still very plush and complex I think this wine should do well and continue to develop for many years. We continue to get notes from people on this wine and how much they enjoy it.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Uvas Creek Vineyard - Santa Clara Valley

A real crowd pleaser. I think we knew from the moment we processed the grapes this would be a 'showy' wine. It's bigger and darker than the 05 and 06. Stefania got a note this week from someone who told us this went up against a line up of much more expensive Cabernet's and finished second overall to a Shafer Hillside Select ($225). This is a pretty powerful wine, I like to have it with beef.

2008 Chardonnay Chaine d'Or Vineyard - Santa Cruz Mountains

I agree this is still coming together. We really wanted to get it out for crab season and we probably rushed it. Next year we may hold it until the Spring for release. Lots of people enjoying this with rich seafood dishes and Stefania has a recipe that was sent to us she keeps promising to post up. I think serving this with food really brings out its best.

We haven't had a Pinot Noir in a long time, or any of the 05's. Next time we check on those I'll update here.