San Antonio Wine Geeks - The Lew Residence
The Lew Residence
Tasted Saturday, August 7, 2010 by Nutty08 with 873 views
Introduction
Graciously hosted by the Lew's with a fantastic presentation of glasses and served with delicious marinated shish kabobs
Flight 1 (10 Notes)
Closing
Fantastic evening as always with an incredible lineup of wines.
2002 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé Vintage 90 Points
France, Champagne
Toast and cream on the nose with a touch of cherry. Medium bodied palate with more cherry as it came across as a little tart, with creamy oak and a medium finish that left the mouth clean. Struck me as well made if simpler than I expected.
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2006 Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs 89 Points
USA, California, North Coast
Doesn’t disappoint at this price point. Lovely dough and yeast nose with green apples on the nose. Crisp refreshing palate with a hint of citrus added to the apple flavors with a short to medium crsip mineral finish. Great balance. Lacked some body compared to the Veuve Cliquot, but at this price point delivered fantastic value.
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2008 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Thrilling complex floral nose of grass, lime, green apple, and a hint of almond. Palate was lush and mouth coating, quite acidic but never harsh, expressing a subtle touch of oak. Impressively long balanced finish. Impressive for its complexity and balance and approachable now, while it should improve. Can’t say I’ve ever gotten a green note that I enjoyed from a Chardonnay before.
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1995 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Opened and decanted about an hour before consumption. Initially had a bright fruit forward nose of pure cassis, leather, and cedar. With air the fruit faded from the nose a bit with the secondary notes becoming more prominent:, adding: a mild bell pepper, cedar spice, mocha, and mint. Palate was focused with cassis and cherry flavors deftly integrated with cedar spice and hint of leather. Sweet fine tannins carry on through the lengthy finish of earth and cedar. Well integrated with plenty of acidity and fine tannins remaining. Appear to be drinking at peak but certainly isn’t fading any time soon. The fact that it dries out slightly with air is my only concern about its longevity. Otherwise this delivers as a mature refined and focused Cali Cab in a balanced and more restrained style. Held up well compared to the Shafer and Hundred Acre in a notably less concentrated style.
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1996 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Franc Third Century 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
This was served double blind. Dark red color, slightly brown. Initially had a big ripe dark fruit nose that later showed mint and white pepper. Currants and plum on the palate with a drying tannic finish that was a bit short. Was obviously aged and probably slightly past peak and on the simple side. I guessed a ’93 Somona Cab, as this reminded me of the ’93 Beringer PR and the green notes made me think Sonoma. It made sense after finding out it was a Cab Franc.
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2004 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Just a hint of heat on the nose when swirled. Opened and decanter a few hours before serving.
Complex expressive nose with a dark profile: mocha, touch of flint, currants, and vanilla cream. Palate was incredibly concentrated and lush, with a dark fruits, mostly currants and black cherry carrying on into a lengthy finish of smoke, vanilla, and slate. Tannins were prominent and chalky, but not distracting. Delicious Napa cab that met expectations, but did not exceed.
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2007 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Quite different than the Shafer HHS. Some heat on the nose here as well with pure cassis and vanilla on the nose. Palate was ripe and very concentrated, with clean bright high toned red fruits, mostly cassis and cherry, with fine polished sweet tannins in the background. Vanilla cream finish. Highly concentrated and polished and refined, with impressive complexity and length. Enjoyed, but not my preferred style. Struck me as feminine compared to the Shafer.
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2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This suffered greatly with the stiff competition, just didn’t have the complexity and refinement of the others, and showed tons of oak. Nose was overshadowed by vanilla cream. Palate had tons of dense concentrated candied red fruit, with cassis and raspberry coming though. Medium finish with sweet chewy tannins and sweet vanilla cream. Dominated by oak flavors, either over oaked or needs some time to come together. Will re-visit on day 2.
On day two the tannins smoothed out but the flavor profile was still dominated by vanilla and touch of mocha. I'm not sure that the oak will ever integrate as it completely dominated the wine at this point.
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2008 Turley Zinfandel Dragon Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
My palate leans away from the more fruit forward wines, but I came away impressed by this. Noted to be 16% alcohol and didn’t show any of it. Ripe fruit nose with currants and plum and wonderful spice and pepper character adding complexity. Dense concentrated palate with dark fruit profile and vanilla, and leading into a lengthy sweet finish with a balanced oak. Delicious.
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2003 Domaine Arlaud Clos de la Roche 88 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Had been opened a few hours before serving. Surprisingly fruit forward nose, and upon my first taste, had a striking nose of cola that reminded me of RRV, but this faded over the next few hours leaving a minty spicy roast with roasted fruit. Palate was focused, but seemed to be low in acidity, adding black cherry. Mildly thin drying tannins on a short to medium finish adding some earth. Surprised me for its simplicity and lack of acidity and it fell apart after being in the glass for a few hours. Enjoyable, but did not meet expectations for a Grand Cru.
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