• 2005 Ramey Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard – USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (9/1/2009)
  I’m reminded of fresh baked biscuits with home-made (not-too-sweet) lemon marmalade with this wine. Big, rich, mouthcoating, with an extremely long finish, yet even despite its size, the wine is balanced enough to stay nimble. I liked this wine but be forewarned: it is true to its origins as a Napa Chardonnay with oak, butter, and vanilla to spare. (90 pts.)

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Quick Update: Block 1 is at 21 brix, block 2 is at 22.3. It has been fairly hot this week but temps are expected to drop down to normal this weekend. Fruit is looking good.

• 2005 St. Supéry Vineyards Virtú Meritage – USA, California, Napa Valley (8/30/2009)
  The Semillon really shines through on this wine. Honey-suckle, fresh peaches, nectarine, and a hint of pear flavors nicely compliment vanilla undertones. I would have liked to see a bit more acidity to lift this wine’s structure a bit higher. It’s rich, but a bit heavy. Stlll, an interesting nice white wine when looking for something a bit different than same-old, same-old chards or sauv blancs. Recommended. (84 pts.)
• 2000 Pillar Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District – USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District (8/26/2009)
  Sour cherry, pine needles, slightly medicinal with not much midpalate and short finish. This wine’s best days are behind it — I much preferred this wine 4 years ago when I thought it was a standout from the 2000 vintage. Drink up.

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Tuesday, 8/26/09 – I’m driving in to the Napa Valley. It is 11AM and the fog has just burned off. It’s 59 degrees. When I take the photos below (around 3PM), it has warmed up to 83 degrees. Those temperature swings are a big part of what makes Napa Valley wines great. It has been a mild weather year.

Butterdragon Hill has completed veraison.

Baconbrook has completed veraison as well. The grapes are just at that point where the are no longer sour and are starting to taste sweet.

8/15/09 Butterdragon is just about finished with veraison.

Actually, the cluster below will probably get dropped early. Notice the immature or incompletely formed berries.

Actually, at today’s exchange rate, the as-yet-unpublished 640,000 British pounds book comes out to $1,036,811.40 but who wants to quibble over pennies? British publisher Kraken Opus will be producing an 850 page book which features the “100 top wineries in the world” as selected by an unnamed panel of experts. The book will be accompanied by 10 bottles of wine from each winery and only 100 books will be produced.
So, if you’ve got a mil just burning a hole in your pocket, you can pick up 600 bottles of some undoubtedly great wine and undoubtedly a very pretty book. Or you can order 13,888 bottles of Match. Heck, I could probably even be persuaded to do a volume discount on an order that size.

Last night we had a small bbq to mark the last evening before my son started his junior year. The kids had to settle for Ginger Beer, Snapple, and Starbucks frappuccino but I figured we parents should have a little something special to go with our steaks. What better way to observe the occasion than wine from the year these “youngsters” started first grade? (I was so glad the math worked out to the 1999 vintage and not 1998 or 2000.)

• 1999 Vérité La Joie – USA, California, Sonoma County (8/25/2009)
  Raspberry and currant, brown sugar, espresso, eucalyptus and a generous dose of oak though the wine is in balance. Drinking more youthfully than the 99 Ch. St Jean Cinq Cepages we opened alongside. Has the structure to continue developing. Drink now with 2 hour decant but probably better to hold 2-3 more years. (90 pts.)
• 1999 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages – USA, California, Sonoma County (8/25/2009)
  This bottle was better than one I opened about 6 months ago. Earthy with forest floor, cherry pipe tobacco, cedar, mushroom and secondary notes of ripe plum and hint of mint. Drinking quite mature now and although there’s probably not a big rush, I’d advise enjoying over the next few years. Decanted one hour. (88 pts.)

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• 2008 Sigalas Santorini – Greece, Aegean, Santorini (8/24/2009)
  Rather shy floral nose on this pale yellow hued wine. A bit of effervescense. Initial flavors of lychee and banana salt water taffy and finishes with tart green apple. Quite charming though I did not get the mineral and citrus notes that some other CT writers did. Well worth the $21.99 from local wine store. My first, but hopefully not last, experience with the Greek Assyrtiko grape. (86 pts.)

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• 1999 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot – USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma (8/19/2009)
  Big wine with a huge attack of red licorice, boysenberry, cinnamon, mocha, and wood smoke. Time has tamed this wine a bit so you don’t have to just have it for dessert but like breaking a wild stallion, it has lost some of its uniqueness. Still classic Foley. (92 pts.)

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What are your favorite wine and cheese pairings?

Awesome cheese pairings with Match Cabernet Sauvignon:

Petit Basque (French sheep)
Il Boschetto al Tartufo (blend of sheep and cow with truffle pieces).

I picked up both yesterday from Sunshine Foods Market in St Helena, which, by the way, is THE BEST PLACE to shop for groceries in the Napa Valley.
Sunshine Foods Market
1115 Main Street
St Helena, Ca 94574
(707) 963-7070