Mr J had subdivided the evening into three flights:
1st Flight
- 1994 Peter Michael Winery "Les Pavots" Proprietary Red Wine
- 1994 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon
2nd Flight
- 2005 Kapcsándy Family Winery Estate Cuvee "State Lane Vineyard"
- 2005 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon "Peterson Family Vineyard"
3rd Flight
- 2007 Clark-Claudon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2007 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Wine
And as the title implies it was an evening with lots of points. And the first 100 points of this blog. Premiere!
Mrs J decided to pair these vinophile heavyweights with some small delicacies and burgers for the main course. Absolutely perfect! With this selection it was possible to detect the strengths and weaknesses - if any - of the wines in the best way.
1994 Peter Michael Winery "Les Pavots" Proprietary Red Wine (98/100)
Sonoma, North Coast, California
70 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 16 % Cabernet Franc, 14 % Merlot
Dark ruby red with nice, slowly enlightening rims. Very earthy, but still lot of fruits. Mainly plums. Also some cold tobacco and cardamom. On the palate subtle with an outstanding berry, tartish freshness. Extremely soft finish. Simply wonderful - and a high-end starter.
The Peter Michael Winery is one of the best addresses in California - no matter if you are looking for Chardonnays, Pinots or Bordeaux-style blends. Certainly this has something to do with the founders Sir Peter and Lady Michael - both esteemed personalities in the Napa wine society. But if you drink this wonderful Les Pavots it becomes obvious that this personality was passed on from the winery people to their wines. It was my first bottle of the Peter Michael Winery. And it will not be the last one. Drink this beauty now. Don't pair it with any food. Simply enjoy and forget the world around you.
1994 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon (96/100)
Napa Valley, North Coast, California
Extremely dark colour, nearly black. Never saw anything similar before. Lot of balmy notes. A crazy mix of very gentle black pepper and ripe raisins. On the palate incredibly powerful and concentrated. Just at the beginning at most. Terrific.
So far I only drunk a Togni Cabernet Sauvignon from the Tanbark Hill Vineyard. This was in 2011 and it was the 2008 vintage. It was a drastic experience. The wine was too young and nearly undrinkable. Nevertheless I bought another bottle after the tasting - and forgot it in my cellar. After the outstanding experience with the 94 Napa Cab I will open this bottle in the near future to see how it evolves. If you are looking for long-living California Cabs besides Dunn - here it is. Parker recommends to drink from 2005 to 2030. I disagree. Wait until 2020 before opening. And then? 2040+. And never ever eat anything different than burgers to this Cab monster.
2005 Kapcsándy Family Winery Estate Cuvee "State Lane Vineyard" (100/100)
Napa Valley, North Coast, California
56 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 % Merlot, 4 % Cabernet Franc
Deep cherry red. Wonderful ensemble of balmy notes. Tender blackberries, black pepper in the background and an incredibly gentle moist earthiness. Soft and in parallel very strong; it lies on the palate like a rug of roses and blackberries. Long; extremely long and far at the end again a little bit balmy. A masterpiece of an ensemble wine. Best of the best.
This was the second Kapcsándy wine I was allowed to taste. Same location, same wonderful people, same result - a wine not from this world. And the best: THX to Mr J I have a bottle of this icon in my cellar. And in addition the vintages 2006 and 2007, too. Life is good. Back to the facts. The wine is absolutely on the top and will remain on this quality minimum another eight years. Total lifetime? Difficult. Perhaps until 2035. But why waiting? Pair it with low-temperature cooked venison and chanterelles.
2005 Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon "Peterson Family Vineyard" (97/100)
Napa Valley, North Coast, California
Dark cherry red with some light rims. Aromas of ripe green peppers paired with truffles and a hint of dark chocolate demonstrate the youthfulness of this wine. With some air a strong cassis note takes the leadership. And a little bit later suddenly some vanilla notes arise. A real grab bag in a very positive sense. On the palate fruitiness pur. Also some licorice and mocha notes noticeable. Long, smooth and perfect.
The first Switchback Ridge of my life - and what a glorious experience. I have the 2003 vintage in my cellar. I am really looking forward to enjoy this bottle, too. The 2005 is just at the beginning. The peak will be reached in two or three years. After that it will remain on this level for another five years minimum. I would pair it with medallions of pork in black pepper sauce.
2007 Clark-Claudon Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (96/100)
Napa Valley, North Coast, California
Medium cherry red. Strong cherry aromas paired with rosemary and chocolate with chili scent. Extremely fruity on the palate. Viscid. After ten seconds very strong with a nice fresh acidity.
The 2007 Clark-Claudon Cab was the wine I contributed to this memorable tasting. And I am really happy that it didn't come off badly compared to the other iconic wines. This Cab is currently absolutely on the top and you should drink it over the next three years. The pairing with the burger is absolutely perfect.
2007 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Wine (94/100)
Napa Valley, North Coast, California
82 % Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec
Medium to deep cherry red. Strong berry aromas with a tendency to raspberries. In addition classical cassis and a coffee essence. On the palate fruitiness - and nothing else. Definitely the fruit bomb of the evening. Medium to long finish with a pleasant velvety.
For me a typical Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Wine. I drunk this wine from several vintages. The last one before this 2007 was the 1998. And definitely the same characteristic. Here you know exactly what you get when you buy a bottle. And the good thing is that even in a weaker year you will get a very good quality. My personal opinion is that this wine is sometimes a little bit too mainstream. But this is complaining on a high comfort level.
Summarization: A cult evening - not only because of the cult Reds.
