We were invited to a friend our ours for Shabbos. So we brought some bottles and he had quite a few as well. Here is what I can blog about, because some of the wines we tasted were more experimental – which were one off wines.
2004 Roberto Cohen Sancerre Rouge – Score: B+
We opened this one on Saturday day, and I swore this wine was a bottle of junk. It was not flawed – but rather overly sharp and acidic. It tasted like a cup of cherry juice left out over night. Well we put it in the fridge and the next day – it was wondrous. Smooth almost velvety. The nose was packed with cherries, raspberry, vanilla, and a touch of chocolate. The mouth of the medium bodied wine was flowing with ripe cherries, perfectly smooth, almost caressing like. The finish could have been longer. Not an overly complex wine, but the finish had hints of chocolate and wood. This wine did not taste overly oaked.
2001 Celler de Capçanes Montsant Peraj Ha’Abib – Score: A
This wine is mad. We opened it Friday night and it was so heavy and overpowering we had to put it to the side. When we got back to it – the wine was just right. This wine is a powerhouse. It starts with an almost non-penetrable purple color. It is followed up by a nose that is filled with chocolate, mint, ripe plum, vanilla, and lots of oak. The awesome thing about this wine is that its shoulders are so broad that the high 14.5% alcohol is not even noticed. The mouth of this full bodied wine is velvety and almost perfectly balanced. Those nice and tangy tannins are now gone – it feels like we may be at the peak for this wine, but I am sure it has yet more to show off. The mouth is filled with black plums, raspberries, sweet wood, and tons of vanilla. The finish is nicely laden with ripe fruit and oak. The real take away for me about this wine is that it has not lost any of its complexity – it is still filled with layer after layer of fruit, wood, and chocolate that keep come at you long after the wine is finished. Quite impressive.
2000 Four Gates Chardonnay – Score: A
I have blogged about this one – but it has improved. I think I gave it a score of A-. That is old news. This wine is still a beautiful golden straw color. The nose is getting stronger. It is replete with peach, citrus, apricot, creme, and vanilla. The mouth of medium to full bodied wine is almost velvety smooth but still kicking. The fruit forward nose flows through to the mouth. The fresh fruit flavors, peach and citrus are very evident and they are joined with tight wood to make a melodic conversation that is complex with layers – but not annoyingly such that it would get in the way of enjoying it. The wine is great by itself – but even better with some nice hard cheeses (because of its acidic nature), fish and roasted chicken. The clean yet complex lines make this a real winner.
2004 Four Gates Chardonnay – Score: A-
The nose on this straw colored wine has lychee, citrus, apple, and wood aromas. The mouth of this medium bodied wine is filled with citrus, peaches, and lychee. The wine is complex with sweet wood and spice that play in tandem with each other and make the long finish quite enjoyable. This wine has filled out since my last tasting. It continues to get fatter and a bit more buttery. Nice with heavier foods.
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