Attended a wholesalers tasting - about 120 wines - settling on two as my "take homes" - i.e. - after the "sip & spit" - or in my case - "sip and swallow" - I always choose a wine to savor - i.e. - a full glass -
My rating system at this kind of event - about 90 minutes - is - good - better - best - check marks - arrows up - arrows down - neutral arrows - Abacus got four arrows up - looking for new wines - the discovery - interesting stories - would I buy it - what is unusual - if I've had it before - its a pass - a composite SWAG - always looking to get my "sock blown off" - ironic as I don't wear socks -
The evenings 25 wines - in no particular order -
SYN Cuvee - Blanc de Blanc - Southern Australia - a fellow taster - very enthusiastic woman - had only raves - I liked - but did not go crazy - a bit light - alive with bubbles - almost foamed up - on the inexpensive side - good for the summer party -
Sybille Kuntz - Dreistern - Riesling - Spatlese - 2001 - nice - high acid - crisp - can you image ME tasting a German Riesling - miracles do happen -
Davis Bynum - Chardonnay - Dutton Flax - 2001 - Organic - not a winner on my palate - almost neutral
Robert Sinskey - Chardonnay - 2002 - Organic - too thin - didn't seem like anything was there -
Stephen Ross - Chardonnay - Eden Ranch - 2003 - again - not to my liking -
Norton Ridge - Chardonnay - Sonoma Coast - 2003 - moving up a notch on the "like" scale - my notes show an OK - could have been colder -
Garrelson - Viognier - The Chumtra - Pasa Robles - 2003 - double checks - very nice - great attitude on the website - "No cab. No chard. No merlot. No crybabies." - have to investigate their Syrah and Other Reds - I am curious Red -
Cockfighter's Ghost - Semillion - Hunter Valley - 2002 - I love the Australian names and labels - if only they had given this one some nose to get it going -
One of the side benefits of writing - is that I get an excuse to look things up - not that I wouldn't do that anyway - but in tracking down Poole's Rock Wines - the makers of Cockfighter Ghost - on the other side of the planet - I happened on the Legend of Cockfighter Ghost -
175 years ago when Governor Macquarie detailed a group of explorers to establish an overland route to the Hunter Valley. One wild, windy night as the intrepid travelers were crossing Wollombi Brook, misfortune struck. Cockfighter, the lead horse, became bogged in river quicksand and despite all efforts, drowned. A fateful night that gave birth to the legend of Cockfighter’s Ghost....
Davis Bynum - Pinot Noir - 2001 - Organic - good
ZD - Pinot Noir - Reserve - 2002 - better in what the distributor called - "Classic, Elegant Reds
"
Davis Bynum - Pinot Noir - Lindley's Knoll - 2000 - best of this group -
Jink's Creek - Shiraz - Heathcote - Victoria - 2002 - moved into the best group on my sheet - big - screamed New World - Down Under -
Kevin Arnold - Shiraz - Stellenbosch - 2002 - nice - nothing to write home about -
Casa Julia - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2003 - up from Chile - high hopes as I lifted the glass - the Cab nose that I hate - says bottom shelf - but I am not looking for a restaurant - rather for wines that I would buy for myself -
Four wines offered as barrel tastings - Trinoro was sampling - in hopes that interest will being about distribution - my vote was a yes - wines tasted in order -
- Passopisciaro - Nerello Mascalese - Sicily -
- Cincinnato - Cesanese - Southern Tuscany - going back to the Romans - and I understand that the wine's name is the origin of our Ohio town - on the river - very nice -
- Coupole - 2001 -
- Tenuta De Trinoro
And now for the winners of the night -
Pillar Rock - Cabernet Sauvignon - Stags Leap - 2001 - this was a WOW - headed out the door - I was coaxed back - raincoat on - to give it a try at what they had labeled the - 007 - table - i.e. allocations will self destruct in 15 minutes - big - smooth - wonderfully built - you taste greatness - I stuck around for a "few" more minutes -
Roar Wines - Rosella Vineyard - Pinot Noir - 2003 - a definite buy
Roar Wines - Pinot Noir - Santa Lucia Highlands - 2003 - a definite buy - though I liked the Rosella a bit more - by a premium of 25% - I have to think a bit more -
Begstrom - Cumberland - Reserve - Pinot Noir - 2003 - AWESOME - another one that I tasted - after I was out the door - also learned that this Pinot had won all sorts of awards - knocking the socks off even a few Pisoni Pinots - would be great to do a side by side with Patz & Hall -
Robert Sinskey - Cabernet Sauvignon - Stags Leap - 2000 - top of the heap as a quintessential Calif Cab - had it before - a classic - enjoyed in the past - will enjoy in the future - solid basis to hold as a standard for grading the next two -
Vineyard 29 - Cabernet Sauvignon - 2000 - sweet - fresh - full - big - subtle - almost cooling - balanced - what the California Cab is supposed to work towards - this one succeeds - its there
ZD Wine - Abacus VI - unquestionably the biggest wine of the night - this is the sixth release - started 12 years ago - they bottle half the yield as reserve and return the balance to the barrel - next year - the same thing - and again - and again - a "solera style" multiple-vintage blend of every ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ever produced - so the first release was a blend of 6 vintages - the one we tasted - release 6 - is a blend of 12 vintages - fresh - soft - subtle nose - smooth without being heavy - MASSIVE - this was wine in another dimension - that's the good news -
The other side of the coin is that this wine has to sell for $325 to $400 dollars - if you can get it - which brings up the question of - is it worth it - my answer is - as a collector yes - as a wine drinker - the Vintage 29 was also greatness - head and shoulders above almost everything else that crossed my palate - and it was half the price - so was the Abacus worth twice as much - I guess its a matter of where you are comfortable - without a budget - equal to the power of the wine - once you bought it - you would be hard pressed to open it - as then its gone - and believe me - you would want to open this wine - drink it every night - guess I liked it !!!
My two "take homes" - Vineyard 29 and Abacus -
Enjoy -
HBH
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