Next Generation Wine Co.
Terreno
Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 1997
Nice little find at Wine & Co in Charleston. Lives up to the high standard of a very nice Tuscan vintage. Nice straight out of gate but I shall add more when I give the next bottle time to breathe. — 3 years ago
Subject To Change Wine Co
Moon Juice Poor Ranch Zinfandel Syrah 2018
Open it. Pour out a glass. Pour that glass back into the bottle. Cork it. Stick it in the fridge. 24 hours later, drink it cold with grilled meat while watching NBA playoffs. Fart on your wife’s leg while she’s napping next to you on the couch. Repeat next weekend — 5 years ago
Pali Wine Co.
Rancho la Vina Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014
Pali Wine Company Rancho Vina Vineyard. Aged 15 months in 50% new oak. Just feels like a PN day.
Pale ruby (touch darker)in color. Floral, approachable nose. Black plum, black cherry, cranberries, baking spices, vanilla. Nice background of acidity. Drink in the next 4/5 years. Decant for 30 minutes. Edit- The acidity subsides after an hour. The fruit moves forward on the palate. Very nice.
This label has taking it up a notch. Top to bottom, wines are quite good.
— 6 years ago
Diamond Creek Vineyards
Red Rock Terrace Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1988
One of the bottles I provided for a co-hosting with Mark at the City Club wine group.
Always a treat to open a birth year wine. I had this last year and this bottle seemed to have more stuffing. It was less muddled/clay driven and more distinctly black fruit and spice heavy. Next to a ‘79 Montelena, it wasn’t as full-bodied, but it certainly had more tannin. The tannic finish was quite pronounced and bolstered throughout the lunch. Mid-palate was herbal and black currant with faint tart red fruit and tobacco. Fun to drink. — a year ago
Montes
Montes Alpha M Santa Cruz Apalta Single Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2003
We recently pulled some cases out of storage, which haven't seen the light of day for nearly 15 years, so I'll have some fun posts in the next several months.
Nose has dried vanilla bean, dehydrated cherry, oak sawdust, mashed blackberry, used coffee grounds, dried strawberry and dried blueberry.
Palate has tanned leather, very dried cherry, over-ripe plum, plum skin, hardwood charcoal, dried raspberry with a mildly tannic grip remaining.
This bottle is in its sweet spot, likely will hold here (in proper storage) for another 5-8 years before decline. Don't ever count out Chilean wines for longevity!
Paired with a beautiful merlot steak from a local farmer in Columbia Co. NY (Kinderhook Farm), boiled then smashed red potatoes finished with a compound herb butter and fresh, local asparagus. I'm finally grilling, and it's barely May!
(Also a stellar pairing with dark chocolate peanut butter cups!) — 4 years ago
Château Brane-Cantenac
Grand Cru Classé en 1855 Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
This is the first 2005 I’ve opened that was truly impressive this young. It’s untypical for most Margauxs. Bright mid red fruits on the palate with elegance and dripping acidity. Impressive bottling!!! Wish that I had bought a case in futures vs. four bottles. FYI, I never buy more than 6 bottles of almost anything.
The nose reveals, ripe; dark cherries, blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, strawberries, cherries, baked plum, high glass blue fruit hues, dry cranberries and pomegranate. Vanilla, light cinnamon, hint of clove, dash of nutmeg, pinch of white pepper, very dark, rich soil, limestone, pee gravel, cherry cola, fruit tea, black/red licorice, dry top soil/clay, a faint whiff of mint, some red fruit liqueur notes, bright red florals, blue flowers and fresh dark and fresh slightly withering florals.
The body is medium to just barely pushing full. The tannins are well rounded, soft and a bit dusty. The wine gently glides beautifully over the palate. The red fruits shine. Dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, pomegranate, blackberries, black raspberries, plum and blue fruit hues on the long set. Vanilla, light cinnamon, hint of clove, dash of nutmeg, very dark, rich soil, limestone minerals, pea gravel, some crushed dry rock powder, cherry cola, dark fruit tea, black/red licorice, dry top soil/clay, a faint whiff of mint, some red fruit liqueur notes, used leather, saddle-wood to light cedar, light cigar with ash, bright red florals, blue flowers and fresh dark and fresh slightly withering florals. The acidity is like a rain shower. The structure, length, tension and balance are magnificent. The long, elegant, well balanced, polished finish is delicious and goes on and on. This wine has really hit its stride, yet will continue to improve for another 10 years and perhaps beyond. After two hours in the the decanter, the wine put on weight and showed more dark fruits on the long palate set.
Photos of, Chateau Brane Cantenac, Owner Henri Lurton, field-hand doing the back breaking work of picking and their oak vat room.
Producer history and notes...Chateau Brane Cantenac started out in the early 17th century. At the time, the small estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. The vineyards and estate was developed by the owner in the late 1700’s by the Gorce family.
Their wine was so highly regarded back then, it was one of the more expensive wines in all of Bordeaux, selling for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s.
The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton.
In 1838, the Baron renamed property, taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located, calling it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux as they owned Chateau d’Issan as well.
Jumping to the next century, in 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac.
Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956.
Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is currently owned and more than ably managed by the capable, Henri Lurton.
After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed to their current plantings.
The 75 hectare vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Carmenere and .5% Petit Verdot. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The Petit Verdot was planted in 2008. 2017 is the first vintage where Petit Verdot was added to the blend.
The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc.
At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted close to and surrounding the chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. This parcel is the heart and soul of their wine.
They have other parcels, which are further inland, but much of those grapes are placed into their second wine. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections.
Behind the chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sandy soils. They have 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravelly clay called Notton, which is used for their second wine. More than vineyards, the property maintains beautifully, manicured gardens and verdant parkland.
Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. 12 of those hectares are farmed using biodynamic techniques as well.
3 hectares of vines they own in the Haut Medoc appellation are planted to white Bordeaux wine varietals due to the the cooler terroir in that part of the appellation. The soils are gravelly clay. The vines are planted to 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon.
Chateau Brane Cantenac is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification.
40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification.
The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere and Petit Verdot are entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes are completely vinified in their own barrels, using micro-vinification techniques. This takes place with the Carmenere and Petit Verdot because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats of Brane Cantenac can be co-inoculated, meaning they go though alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The majority of the Grand Vin goes through malolactic in barrel. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 17 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine.
There is a second wine, Le Baron de Brane. The use of a second wine at Brane Cantenac is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. There is a third wine, Margaux de Brane, which is usually Merlot dominated.
Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year depending on weather conditions. — 6 years ago
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Clos du Val Wine Company Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, California
Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious Cabernet from Napa Valley.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black currants, cherries, raisins, dried figs, cedar, licorice, vanilla, spices, tobacco, black pepper and dark chocolates.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, sweet cherries, tobacco, cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.
Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and cherries.
This is a delicious and a classic Napa Cabernet. Exactly what you expect from one. Rich, yet not over the top and very chocolatey.
Still very young, but already very tasty. A beautiful Bordeaux blend with lots of potential. Very engaging and approachable at this young age.
Good right out of the bottle, but needs time to open up and show the tannins (90 minutes).
Showing great potential to become a 95+ point wine, and will age nicely in the next 10 years. Already showing nice complexity with a soft and smooth mouthfeel.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and good with food too. Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Aged for 19 months in mostly French oak barrels (58% new).
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$52. — 3 years ago
Bodegas Muga
Selección Especial Rioja Tempranillo 2014
Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by next generation. Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe fruit, smoke & spice, A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, & Graciano from top Haro producer. On the palate ripe blackberry and cherry, firm dry tannins with smoky oak, wrapped in perfect acidity. Aged 30 mos in French & American oak + 18 months in the bottle before release. On the finish a touch of vanilla on a long ending. Will continue to improve! Nice! Tasting Sample. — 4 years ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2011 vintage. Not the best vintage nor the longest-lived. Drinking pretty decently currently. Would I want to slide-tackle this in a decade? No. In the next 5 years? Yes. Plenty of love aboard the ship now. 2.28.24. — 2 months ago