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Napa Valley Wine Tasting Notes
2003 Robert Mondavi Winery
Napa Valley Pinot Noir Reserve
Score: 93.0
Fabulously aromatic nose of violets, black cherry, cardamom and nutmeg follow through to the palate with modest tannin. The only knock is the high alcohol, which gives it a warm, blocky finish.
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2004 Robert Mondavi Winery
Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay Reserve
Score: 89.0
Complex barrel fermentation notes mingling with lemon chiffon fruit. The finish is extraordinarily long, though a bit warmer than I'd like.
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2001 Robert Mondavi Winery
To Kalon Vineyard Napa Valley Fume' Blanc Reserve
Score: 88.0
Austere, yet intense in its minerality. Neutral fruit and Bell pepper, very long, crisp finish.
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2002 Vine Cliff Winery
Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 91.0
Blackberry-cherry jam with scents of mint that carry through to the palate with subtle soil-mineral notes, silky texture, soft tannin, good acidity. Easy drinking now, it will reward further ageing for the next 7 to 10 years. My favorite Vine Cliff to date.
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2002 Pine Ridge Charmstone
Napa Valley
Score: 84.0
Pine Ridge?s second Bordeaux-style offering (after Onyx) is Charmstone, a Merlot dominant blend, with support from Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It tastes of blackberry, toast, molasses, fennel and vanilla. While it has some complexity, the flavor profile is far too reliant on oak. Best for near-term drinking.
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2002 Pine Ridge Onyx
Napa Valley
Score: 85.0
Onyx is a Bordeaux-style blend where the lesser-known Malbec takes center stage, with support from Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. From first sniff you know this is a serious wine with aspirations to age. It serves up black currant aromas (with its tobacco leaf overtones), black pepper and roasted meat. Much the same on the palate, with the addition of some dark chocolate notes, the tannin gives the finish a bitter edge. Made for the long-term, it should only get better over the next decade. Only 500 cases produced.
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2004 Pine Ridge Dijon Clones
Napa Valley Chardonnay
Score: 82.0
I've been a fan of Pine Ridge wines for years, but this 14.6% alcohol rendition is just too ripe. The flavors are awkward, if abundant, and the balance problematic. Serve well-chilled.
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2003 Vine Cliff Winery
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 85.0
Like it's Oakville sibling, the Napa Valley bottling is a bit closed in its youth. Its flavor profile includes licorice, tight blackberry, dark chocolate and toast. It's hard to know if the frujit will still be there when the bitter tannins resolve. My best estimate is that it needs 7 to 10 years additional aging, so start drinking in 2013.
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2003 Vine Cliff Winery
Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Score: 86.0
Vine Cliff wines are meant to be aged, so if you're going to drink this in its youth, aerate it. It shows deep blackberry fruit and toasty oak, along with lightly bitter tannins. Not an easy wine to taste at the moment, it's tight and displaying more oak than I'd like at this stage, it still shows promise for further aging. I'd open it in 2011 or later.
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1999 Stags Leap Winery
Napa Valley Syrah
Score: 88.0
"Formidable. One sniff lets you know this is serious stuff: Medium-bodied, with light tannin, bright plummy fruit, subtle oak, fine balance and excellent length, this is a wine that you can enjoy now (try it with veal or salmon), or lay it away for another 3 to 5 years. "
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1999 Stags Leap Winery
Napa Valley Viognier
Score: 87.0
"I like this Viognier. Its reminiscent of Northern Rhone Viogniers, with delicate rose petal and dry citrus character, tart acidity and some mineral notes. A good match for sautéed chicken or fish, or pasta Alfredo."
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1998 Blackstone Winery
Napa Valley Merlot
Score: 91.0
"A blend of 88% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from 10 different vineyards in Napa, the Blackstone Merlot is a beautifully scupted wine. Medium-bodied, round and elegant, it has a nose with notes of black cherry, blackberry, cherry Coke, roasted nuts and subtle oak texturing. Every element is in balance. A fabulous wine for current drinking, its a good match for grilled steak or smoked salmon."
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1999 Acacia
Carneros District Napa Valley Pinot Noir
Score: 88.0
"Plums, bittersweet chocolate, soft tannins, roasted coffee and potting soil combine for a rich, complex wine that will continue to evolve in the bottle. Our consumer tasting panel was split - some praised the wines complexity; others thought it was 'dirty.' If you know Pinot Noir, you know what were talking about. I, for one, appreciate this style."
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1999 Clos du Val
Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay
Score: 88.0
"Nicely balanced and complex, this dry Chardonnay reverberates with apple and pineapple fruit, a jolt of vanilla and light spices through the pleasantly bitter finish. "
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1999 William Hill
Napa Valley Chardonnay
Score: 93.0
My East Coast friends chaffe at California Chardonnays, which they see as fat, over oaked and clumsy. But William Hill Chardonnays emphasize subtlety and balance, incorporating citrus, pear and peach elements, with complex mineral notes, and restrained, well-integrated oak. More difficult to describe is the finesse - the perfect proportion and intensity from the nose through the finish. Dont deny yourself one of lifes little pleasures.
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