Wines: October 2003

From The Virtual Supper Club – October Edition, posted 10.06.2003
For a wine offering, I tried to come up with one wine that might work through the whole meal. Though difficult, I've picked two Merlots - both from California that might just do the trick.

Merlot tends to be rather soft and fruity with very slight tannins. Although the Merlot grape has great attributes, it also excels when blended with other grapes, usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Given a loophole in California Wine Labeling Laws, a wine can be labeled Merlot and still contain up to 25% other grapes, whereas in other countries, it is 100% or nothing. For comparison, the first wine, the Frogs Leap 1999, is 100% Merlot; the Blackstone 2000 Napa Valley Merlot, is blended with a small percentage of Syrah.

Frogs Leap, 1999
Winemaker Comments: Our 1999 Merlot reflects the great individual complexity of vineyards from three different parts of the Valley: Rutherford, Yountville and Carneros. For the first time in nearly a decade of producing Merlot, our 1999 blend is comprised of 100% Merlot fruit. The purity of the Merlot with its inherent aromatics supported by firm structure, good acidity and silky lingering finish.

Blackstone 2000 Merlot, Napa Valley
Winery Comments: This wine was aged in French, American and Eastern European oak barrels for 15 months. A small portion of Syrah grapes was blended in for enhanced fruit characteristics. The 2000 Napa Valley Merlot has attractive aromas of vanilla and toasted chestnuts wrapped around bright cherry, ripe raspberry and exotic spice fragrances. The silky, smooth palate is lusciously textured with cherry and berry flavors. This wine has wonderful length and a supple, elegant finish.

From: Classic Basil Pesto, Posted: 10.10.2003
The Miles Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes, 2000 Merlot

From A week of wonderful wines…, Posted 10.12.2003
This week was all about marvelous company and a few very fine bottles of wine. The first surprise was a wonderful Chablis, classically styled, which was offered by a friend who had just returned from France. A 2000 Chablis Grand Cru from Bougros, this medium-bodied dry white was crisp as it was intense, with wonderful pear, apple and citrus notes. A nice lingering finish and an excellent start to a long chat, over a meal, with dear friends.

The very next night, I was delightfully surprised with a 2000 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon, just released in March of this year. This was a gorgeous wine, medium to full bodied, a deep luscious ruby color, and juicy black fruit and cherry flavors, rounded by toasty oak. Beautifully balanced, this wine was a course unto itself, and a joy to drink in the company of old and new friends.

Ending the week, Saturday dinner was accompanyied by a 2000 Chimney Rock, a Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, Cabernet. This wine opened beautifully with the taste of black cherry and cassis balanced with a hint of cocoa and vanilla. It was soft and silky, not a powerhouse kind of cab. Lovely.

From Cranberry Glaze, Posted 10.18.2003
I opened a 2001 Boschendal Pinot Noir-Chardonnay that I brought back from South Africa and my visit to the Boschendal Winery. Impossible to find in Pennsylvania, this "first of this style" in South Africa is an unoaked pinot, cask-fermented chard that offers crisp peach and nutty tones, and an out-of-character sweetish finish. Very much an elegant-styled wine.