Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

Wines that haven't been tried in quite some time as well as a few new ones. Mostly upper tier from this portfolio.

• 2007 Antica (Antinori) Chardonnay 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak

  New wine for me. Baked apple, spiced pear, caramel. Moderate oak with great orchard fruits on palate. Touch of spice, great acid, and all around elegant mouthfeel. Well made Chard.

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• 2007 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Chardonnay Karia 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  While different in style than the Antica just tasted, this is equally as impressive of a wine. Cleaner nose with minerals, meyer lemon oil, citrus. Oak is less dominant and offers a higher acid profile, cleaner, leaner palate. Stony finish with great acid throughout.

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• 2006 Spring Valley Vineyard Syrah Nina Lee 86 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Have had great experience with the reds from this estate, lets see how the Syrah holds up: lean nose with light red berries, cherry. Fairly simple nose really. Palate is medium bodied, medium tannins, and overall medium intensity. Where is the punch? Somewhat toasted oak, light amount of spices, pretty much just fades away. I expected more power, or at least intensity of fruit, concentration.

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• 2005 Northstar Red Wine Stella Maris 87 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  I don't remember really having a WOW experience with this wine in previous vints, and while this doesn't disappoint, the oak influence is overkill for my palate. Toast, vanilla, and raw oak on nose. Intertwined with mocha, and cedar. Spicy approach with cassis, more toast, lots of vanilla extract. Tannins are there, but in check. Would probably appeal to most.

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• 2005 Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Always one of the best Merlot producers in WA. Elegant nose with bright, ripe red cherry, red currant, and raspberry jam. Palate is soft and "sweet" with juicy red berries, wildberries, hints of spice. Lightly structured with tannins. The fruit is ripe and rich, yet elegant and finishes with great freshness and acidity. Top notch WA Merlot

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• 2003 Northstar Merlot Walla Walla Valley 89 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  I actually enjoyed the Col .Valley bottling a bit better. This one is made for longer time in btl. Deeper, darker, more intense nose with licorice, black fruits, slight herbal, and cassis. The palate is brooding with black cherry, currant, mocha, and bitter chocolate. The tannins are well integrated with the intense fruit. Right now this needs a double decant or some time to settle down and become the elegant Merlot that it is destined to be.

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• 2006 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Merlot

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  OOh, this has got some funky brett going on right here. Light bodied with firm tannins, light spices with red berries. Simple and straightforward, definitely not exciting. Whats going on with the brett? It just won't integrate.

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• 2005 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah 91 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  I have had this in the past, however I remember liking it better. This is a big boy. Rich and intense with gripping tannins. Lots of rich black fruits, black plum, cassis, black cherry compote. Pepper, cedar, chocolate. Slight tobacco on the finish. Acidity could be a little better balanced. This is a great wine.

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• 2006 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick 92 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  This is reminiscent of an elegant version of the Uriah. Sweeter fruits, softer palate, and elegant approach. Licorice, sweet cherry, cassis, and wild berries. Subtle oak adds a nice warm spice component, wood tannins, and vanilla. Soft finish with great acidity throughout. Nicely balanced wine that offers a great experience right now. I think the Uriah will develop into something along these lines with some age, just not as balanced.

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• 2005 Col Solare 94 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  This is some serious juice. I'd go as far as comparing it with some vints of Quilceda. The nose is intoxicating with rich red and black currants, cherry, plum, cedar, spice and vanilla. Touch of chocolate right off the bat on the palate with moderate tannins, rich black cherry and pepper compote, creme de cassis, violets, cigar box. Well made wine at a great price point. Always one of the top WA wines.

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• 2004 Conn Creek Anthology 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  This was a good bottle, but definitely short of impressive. Fruit driven nose, simple with more red fruits, cherry, strawberry. Palate is also simple, undefined, typical Napa blend.

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• 2006 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Whoa, super young, not shy at all wine. In your face with aromatics, alcohol, and bold fruit. First off, lots of oak influence. Vanilla is concentrated on the nose. Cassis, cedar, and herbs as well. Palate is screaming with tannin structure. Rich and intense black cherry, cassis, but the tannins are up front. As it opens, a nice pencil lead, cedar, herbal streak shines through. I think this will evolve into a great wine. Those youthful tannins need to shed and let out some of the intense fruit that is hiding. Nice acid throughout makes for what will be a balanced wine.

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• 2004 Antica (Antinori) Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak

  Up there in style with the Artemis, however the nose is lacking completely. Rich and intense palate but with an old-world touch. Some cedar, pencil lead, minerality going on. Nicely structured and will be great with a rich and fatty steak. Or with some time in bottle if you're patient.

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• 2004 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V.

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  On the fence with this one. Reminiscent of some left bankers. Lots of brett right off the bat, 2nd wine from these guys in this tasting to show brett. The palate shows great structure, plenty of rich black fruits, well integrated, spiced up oak. Mocha, lavender, herbs all incorporated into the richly structured creme de cassis. A little pencil lead, slight brett on palate as well, but not as strong as on nose. This is a serious wine that would please both Bordeaux aficionados and Napaphiles alike.

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Quite impressed with some of the new ones and confirmation on the quality for the new vints on the old standbys.