2007 Snowden Sauvignon Blanc – USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (5/18/2010)
LOL… I just read the only other tasting note on CT for this wine. The taster gave it 50 points! Of course, we should all stick to our own tastes but in this case, I beg to differ. Wet, green grass, lemon verbena, and green apple bubble gum. Big and bold with a heavy hand in alcohol, lime and juniper too. If you close your eyes, it’s a gin and tonic. Really nice, totally on-the-money Sauvignon Blanc. This wine could be part of a tasting class explaining the Sauvignon Blanc variety. (89 pts.)

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I like Sauvignon Blanc. I mean I really like Sauvignon Blanc. It is one of my favorite white varieties and one that I find myself enjoying often as the weather turns warmer. However, despite this enjoyment of the grape, I don’t find the wines to be profound, earth-shattering, roll-down-your-socks experiences. It is what it is: a great, warm weather quaffer that pairs easily with food. Hooray for Sauvignon Blanc. You may never get 92 points from me, but you’ll always be on my buy list and in my cellar.

Here we have two Sauvignon Blancs from Old World and New. The French “competitor” came in slightly ahead, literally by a nose. It won at first sniff.

2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (5/13/2010) Lemon grass, fresh mowed hay, and grapefruit combine in this very dry, enjoyable wine. Good, balanced acidity keeps it from being heavy but I find very little else to note on this wine beyond saying it is the perfect example of a NZ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. It could be a teaching tool in a wine tasting class or a nice “go to” house white. Either way it fits the bill at about 15 bucks. (86 pts.)

2008 Château La Rame Sauvignon Blanc Sec – France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (5/13/2010) Vibrant floral aromas backed up by tart lemon peel and apricot flavors. Silly me… I didn’t notice the fine print “Sauvignon Blanc Sec” but pegged the variety anyway. Tell-tale grassiness is present, but not heavy. This expressive and enjoyable wine is a good value at the $15 I paid retail and would make quite the enjoyable summer house white wine. (87 pts.)

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With an excellent meal at Go Fish (St Helena, CA):

1993 Kistler Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain (4/30/2010)
One has to have some faith when taking a 17 year old bottle of Chardonnay to a restaurant, especially if you bought it on the secondary market. Your odds of success go up with a Kistler. We love the way most of his wines age and this McCrae was a standout. Lovely dark gold color. Roasted almonds on the nose. Unexpectedly, there was a distinct tropical fruit character to this wine, primarily bananas and pineapples. Bready with just a touch of lemonbutter(?). Gives the overall impression of refreshing lightness and yet still has a long finish with so much going on. Superb. (94 pts.)

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Oliveto Restaurant (Oakland) is always a pleasure. We took along a bottle of 1997 Aldo e Riccardo Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (4/23/2010)
Light bodied and delicate. Like fine china, I literally thought I needed to drink gently in order not to break it. Black cherry, licorice, aged balsamic vinegar, a touch of wet earth. Not decanted, this was a lovely, elegant wine to enjoy now. It started to fade after a couple of hours. Not a long term ager. (90 pts.)

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2006 Alexander Valley Vineyards Zinfandel Redemption – USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (4/21/2010) Stinky with burned stewed plums and the hint of the smell of poopy diapers. Not as bad in the mouth as the aroma — boysenberry syrup and charcoal. Rough mouthfeel with a too-healthy dose of alcohol. Out of balance. Not worth the ~$20 price I see. (78 pts.)

2005 Four Vines Zinfandel Old Vine Cuvée – USA, California (4/21/2010) Kirsch, grape jelly, sweet. Thin middle. Not a bad value for a weekday wine though (~11 bucks). (82 pts.)

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In 2010 the Napa Valley Vintners celebrate the 30th anniversary of Auction Napa Valley–still the world’s most successful charity wine auction. To date the NVV has given $90 million to the Napa Valley community!

Even if you are unable to join us personally in the Valley this year, you can still participate in helping raise money for some wonderful charities and win some fantastic, one-of-a-kind auction lots donated by Napa Valley Vintners.

This year, the E-Auction is 4 auctions in 4 successive weeks. Auction lots are divided up as follows:

Week 1:
Cellar Treasures in Bottles and Magnums
Opens May 9, closes May 16 at 6:00 pm

Week 2:
Jeroboams, Rehoboams, Methuselahs, and Nebuhchadnezzars — Oh My!
Opens May 16, closes May 23 at 6:00 pm

Week 3:
Unforgettable Days of Wine & Adventure
Opens May 23, closes May 30 at 6:00 pm

Week 4:
Nights to Remember: Wine, Food & Friends
Opens May 30, closes June 4 at 3:00 pm (at Rubicon Estate)
Bidding is now open for lots in week one “Cellar Treasures in Bottles and Magnums.”

2000 Cristom Pinot Noir Reserve – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills (4/15/2010)
Tasty, tart bing cherries. Color still vibrant. Refreshing with an acidic zing and elegant fruits. Supported by dark earth, green herb, and mushroom flavors. Very nice now but no rush. (88 pts.)

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2001 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (3/28/2010)
Full throttle, big, syrupy blueberry, milk chocolate, new oak. Cloyingly sweet. I found it overbearing and rather one-dimensional though I know this style is (or at least has been) very popular among some critics and collectors. I bought these wines early in my collecting “career” and now am disappointed more often than not. My opinion is that this style is unbalanced. Checking in on the wine on Day 2, it is all prune flavor. (85 pts.)

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2006 Piron-Lameloise, Domaine Chénas Quartz – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chénas (3/22/2010)
Sour, unripe plum with — perhaps only by the power of suggestion — a quartz, stony line. Unpleasant by itself, but worked “okay” once the meal of flank steak marinated in BBQ sauce started. Pass at prices greater than a couple of bucks. (79 pts.)

2005 Domaine Ruet Brouilly – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (3/24/2010)
Lovely dark color to this medium bodied wine. Long, slow legs. Initial grapey flavor develops nicely with air to cherry, sweet balsamic vinegar, and pine needles. Good value at ~$18 from a local grocer. Respectable daily drinker and party wine for guests. (88 pts.)

2008 Domaine de Colette Régnié Sélection Vieilles Vignes – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Régnié (3/23/2010)
Thin, not much flavor. Tart cherry, hot alcohol. Simple and forgettable. (75 pts.)

2006 Dominique Piron Brouilly Domaine de Combiaty – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (3/22/2010)
Brett. NR (flawed)

2006 Dominique Piron Morgon Côte du Py – France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (3/21/2010)
Tart black cherry, fig, crushed mint leaves, and a touch of black pepper. Light to Medium bodied, silky texture. Nice wine with no sharp edges. Excellent QPR for $17.99 from Whole Foods (Oakland). (85 pts.)

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1998 Raymond Vineyard & Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – USA, California, Napa Valley (4/5/2010)
This was one of my favorite wines from the 98 Napa vintage. It seriously over-performed for most of its life, but, like an aging rock star, the live concert isn’t quite as good as it once was and depends on nostalgia to make up for the shortcomings of overage. Initial notes were promising — deep cherry, raspberry, wood smoke, and saddle leather but grew too astringent within 30 minutes of opening. Flavors continued to thin out leaving just a stemmy, cherry shell of its former self. Drink up if you still have them.

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