Another enticing Chardonnay for the new year
Well here we are in 2016. We finished 2015 with several Chardonnays, and I am starting the new year with another: Jackson Estate Camelot Highlands Santa Maria Chardonnay 2013, from a single vineyard, purchased to provide Meursault-like wine. The late Jess Stonestreet Jackson, who most Chardonnay drinkers know of due to Kendall-Jackson Chardonnays, bought this limestone-rich, fog-cooled property, which was planted in Wente Clone #4 over 40 years ago. Don’t look for the standard KJ blend formula. These are made for folks who enjoy mineral-rich, aromatic chardonnay. I disagreed with RP on some of his olfactory description. So following is my evaluation. Pale golden-colored, opens to tropical fruit, mostly pineapple, with some wet gravel notes. The palate is creamy with hazelnut, vanilla and caramel nuance that flows through the clean, long finish These are on sale now under $25, great QPR and 2 price points. If you find them up to $30 they are a good buy, 91 points.
At Chez McD we usually serve rib roast for dinner on New Year's Day. This year we served a lovely bottle of Vinas del Vero La Miranda de Secastilla Somontano Spain 2013. I first learned of this winery, Vinas del Vero, in 2008, through an article by a Brit named Fiona Beckett, titled: Possibly the Best Truffle Dinner Ever. The article described a truffle hunt, and many menu items and truffle pairings at Bodega Blecua during Vinas del Vero’s two-day event called Days of Wines and Truffles. Beckett writes a nice hand. You can read the entire article here: http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/recent/20120209/. Don’t forget to read the entire paper first.
I research truffles quite a bit because I love to indulge occasionally and like to try the various recipes I find. Blecua is the top of line from the label and runs in the $60-80 range depending on the vintage. If you try to buy some, ask for either the 2007 or 2008. The La Miranda is a very nice everyday wine that runs in the neighborhood of $15, McD 88 points. Dark cherry-colored, it opens to floral aromas with hints of prune, toasted oak, tobacco and a slight balsamic back note. Well-balanced wine that finishes cleanly.
We also finished the last of the Sandeman Vintage Port 1985. If you have any, drink it soon. It is still OK but starting to fail. In the course of cleaning I came across two bottles of Devlin Wine Cellars Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 1982. I thought they might be over the hill, but they were actually quite enjoyable. Medium ruby with a little brick color around the rim; I decanted it as quite a bit of sediment was visible on the lie-down side. It is amazing to drink well-made old wine. The aromas, tannin, oak and acidity are in sync and not discernible except as feelings on the palate. Barbara and I bought these during a trip to the region in 1984. We were there primarily to see Gilroy the garlic capital, Castroville, the artichoke capital, and Monterey and Salinas due to Steinbeck. As we were driving around scoping out the area, we stumbled across Barghetto and they directed us to Devlin, which was up in a valley outside Soquel. Back in that time, the wine industry in the region was just beginning to take off. Most of the time the owners or family members were doing the tasting if it wasn’t pick, crush or bottling time. I bought a case of the Devlin Cab because of its story. At the time, Devlin was sourcing grapes for the Cab and the wine was actually made of grapes that originated on/near the border of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Anyhow, the wine brought back happy memories so I regaled the family for an hour or so.
If you enjoy huge red wines, give Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2012 a try. These are 100 percent Petite Sirah (aka Durif ,nearly all of which is planted in USA) sourced from Chiles Valley 96 percent and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in oaken barrels. The berries of PS are very small and dark; lots of available tannins provide a dark purple color. The nose is a pleasant bouquet of blackberry, vanilla and licorice. On the palate, plums, blueberries and blackberries ride a frame of proper acidity with sweet tannins. The wine finishes long and puckery with a hint of vanilla.. I was a bit surprised that the oak didn’t overwhelm, but the vanilla was the only hint. This runs around $32 and is worth every dime, 91 McD points.
Email John McDonald at chjonmc@yahoo.com.
