2005 Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon Papillon

2005 Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon Papillon

New release from the same winemaker/operation that makes the Prisoner.

While I have NEVER enjoyed the Prisoner, Dave Phinney's Cabernets continue to impress. We LOVE Mercury Head and the way its taste lives up to the amazing bottle. Now, the new Papillon (sourced from the Tofanelli vineyard) comes out and succeeds in a completely different way. This is NOT a fruit bomb Napa Cab. Instead, its strength lies in its texture and weight. It takes a good 30-45 minutes to open up, being such a young wine, but it rewards patience. Papillon shows how Napa Cab can showcase flavors apart from ripe, extracted fruit and I am a big fan.

Tasting Tags: 2005 cabernet napa orin papillon sauvignon swift

2004 Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine

2004 Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine

The 2004 Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine makes it clear that 04 was a great year for the grapes this winery was making wine from. Jayson is the 'Bordeaux-style' declassification of the Pahlmeyer topline red blend so one naturally expects to taste a little bit of what makes it roughly half the price of its big brother. Barely. This thing is a beast. Decant it for 3 hours and you've got a grainy, thick Cab texture with ripe, elegant fruit and hints of exotic spice. My guess is that this is the very top end of the price range for enthusiasts, so it would most likely be cracked on a fairly special night. The Jayson Red 2004 can definitely stand up to the pressure. I got mine at Porthos: Pahlmeyer Jayson Cabernet Blend 2004

Tasting Tags: cabernet napa pahlmeyer

2002 Brown Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2002 Brown Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The Brown Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 is a massive, jammy Cabernet made almost in the style of a big Zinfandel. Very small production stuff with a very large payoff. This will turn any night into an occasion. I bought mine at Porthos.

2004 Breggo Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

2004 Breggo Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

I have been looking for another reasonably-priced Anderson Valley Pinot Noir for some time. Breggo is a relatively new discovery from that region, but one that has got me excited to visit the area again.

This Pinot is soft and medium-to-light bodied in texture. Classic Pinot aromatics are followed by a consistent flavor on the palate, which includes a light bubble-gum flavor. Unmistakably Californian in style, the wine wears its fruit proudly and value-conscious fans of bold Pinot Noir should be pleased by this bottle.

2003 Larkmead Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Larkmead Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2003 Larkmead is a lot of wine for less than $50. A successful interplay between mushroom-y earthiness and bright red fruit allow this wine to pair well with a variety of plates. I've had it with red meats as well as the Thanksgiving turkey and it always impresses.

The tannins are soft and well-integrated which allow it to be consumed straight out of the bottle with little or no decanting.

Tasting Tags: mushroom soft strawberry tannin

2004 Adrian Fog Savoy Pinot Noir

2004 Adrian Fog Savoy Pinot Noir

The 2004 Savoy Pinot Noir has intensely concentrated Pinot fruit flavors with a slight effervescent, almost powdery mouthfeel. This wine tastes young, but has enough going on to seduce collectors and totally wow enthusiasts.

The only drawback to this beautiful wine is that all its strength lies in one category - flavor. There's not much complexity or texture worth commenting on. Luckily, the fruit present in the glass makes you forget to even think about those things... At least for the first couple of bottles.

I bought it at Porthos

Tasting Tags: concentrated effervescent