t had been too long since we last had a chance to sit down and enjoy some good food and wine with our friends Mark and Laurie Smith; we tried to get together last year at this time for a retrospective tasting of early ‘90s Beringer Chabot Cabernet Sauvignons, but at the last minute, something came up and the deal never went down.  So, when Mark suggested that we try again this year during a recent conversation, we were only too willing.  Beringer only makes about 300 cases of this wine, from a 25 acre hillside Napa vineyard, and it’s not an easy wine to get a chance to taste, especially in a mini – vertical format.  After leisurely visits to Village Corner and Morgan and York, where we stocked up on the kind of fine French wines that just don’t seem to show up that much in Day-twah with as much regularity as they should, we made our way to Chez Smith, where we were joined by fellow guests Dave “Guido” Guimond (an old pal and MoCool operative), Eagle Eye Imports rep Jason Knysz, and Mark’s homie John Labbe.  Unfortunately, Laurie had to work late, so she missed out on most, but not all of the fun and excitement.   

We got things started with a white from Mr. Ridge.       

1999 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Monte Bello Chardonnay, $23.99, 14.5% alc.: The intense golden color is just the first indication that this wine is getting long in the tooth; last time we had it, it was noticeably paler.  A dominant nuttiness has developed here, with the soft pear and Draper perfume (yes, it even shows in Chardonnay) relegated to a supporting role.  Soft and silky smooth in the mouth, this is still drinkable, and even enjoyable, but this particular bottle was at least a year past it’s prime.  Find this wine

1993 Clos Triguedina Cahors Prince Probus, 100% Malbec,
$54 (wholesale), 12.5% alc.: I had just tasted the 2000 version of this, the flagship wine from one of the finest estates in Cahors, the week before, and was most impressed, so it was interesting to see how a 12-year-old would show.  There’s not a hint of brick to the dark garnet color, and it offers earthy black fruit and licorice flavors and aromas, with subtle leathery undertones; with air, a pretty perfume emerges on the nose.  Dry, mature and drinking quite well right now, with good length, this is very Bordeaux-like, and pairs well with a bacon, basil and pork loin hors d’oeuvre, which Kim characterized as “tender, with intense, punctuated flavor.”   Find this wine

Imported by Eagle Eye Imports, Bloomfield Hills, MI 

1990 Beringer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard, 13.3 % alc.: Dark garnet, and showing no rust to the color as of yet; oozes pure Cabernet character, with cassis and blackberry and just an inkling of the signature Beringer new French oak (two years worth) providing a pretty undertone.  Very smooth and harmonious, with subtle hints of spice; a lovely, mature Cal-cab for drinking now and over the next few years.  Find this wine

1990 d’Angerville Volnay Taillepieds, $35.99, 13.5% alc.: Everyone was immediately struck with the similarity between the nose and the aroma emanating from the Pont l'Eveque cheese being grazed upon, with plenty of big, rich, earthy plums and black cherries underneath; still good structure here, with very good depth and intensity.  It doesn’t look like a 15 year old wine, or taste like one for that matter; it may never be elegant, but it certainly shows promise for further development.     Find this wine

Imported by Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Co., New York, NY 

1991 Beringer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard, 14.1 % alc.: Dark garnet with no rust, and no oak to speak of either; comparing it to the ’90, Guido remarked that it is “more primary in fruit, more angular," and he had a point.  It offers plenty of blackberry, black currant and raspberry, with a solid earthy core, just a hint of any lingering oak and a long finish.  A beautiful Cal cab, very fresh, and one that doesn’t come off as a 14 year old wine; sweet and balanced.  Find this wine

1992 Beringer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, 14.1 % alc.: Dark garnet in color, and a little brighter, with a touch more obvious oak than the Chabots display, and less earthy than those; a lovely personality, with notes of black currant, blackberry, sweet spice and a nice, but not excessive kiss of oak, all with excellent structure and the most obvious display of the house style of the four Beringers sampled on this occasion.  Balanced, harmonious and quite simply, gorgeous.   Find this wine

1982 Chateâu Haut Batailley Pauillac, $14.95, 12% alc.: Dark garnet, fading to pink at the rim, with no discernable bricking; cassis, black currant, underbrush, a hint of soft leather and moderate earthy undertones, with some tannins still to resolve.  A beautiful, mature Pauillac; what’s not to love?    Find this wine

Imported by Ginday Imports, Ltd., Washington, D.C. 

1992 Beringer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard, 14.1 % alc.: Mark said that this deep, dark garnet was almost identical to the ’91 when it was first opened, so it must have gone into the toilet fairly quickly; I’d be hard pressed to call this particular bottle a Beringer if tasted blind.  It’s hard to ID any fruit component here, with mainly 6 year old balsamic, earth and underbrush manifesting in the profile.  Even though it had been open an hour and a half by the time I got to it, that’s no excuse for the funky character it displayed, which probably indicates that there was something very wrong with this particular bottle.  Find this wine

Many thanks to Mark and Laurie Smith for their always – wonderful hospitality and to the attendees for their contributions of wine and camaraderie.  Next one’s at our house, gang!

Reporting from Day-twah,

Bastardo 

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Francophilia 2005

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© George Heritier January 2006