2nd Annual Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting

at the Presidio - San Francisco, CA
October 12, 2005

This was an excellent tasting event, although a bit crowded, but worth the $100 ticket cost. There was quite a variety of food, such as oysters on the balcony, and, my favorite, The Fatted Calf booth. I was not able to taste even a third of the wines available for tasting. I focused more on the foreign producers, as they're not in San Francisco very often. - Jack

1994	Antinori		Chianti Classico Riserva	$32	Pleasant.	1–3
2002	Argyros Estate	Atlantis		$15	I Like. Best Red Value.	3?
2004	Jim Barry	The Lodge Hill	Clare Valley Riesling			?
2002	Château de Beaucastel	Blanc	Châteauneuf-du-Pape	$80	Very nice. Smooth.	2–3
1996	Château de Beaucastel		Châteauneuf-du-Pape	$50	Some stink on nose. Very nice.	2–4
2002	Château Belà (Egon Mϋller)		Sturovo Riesling	$18	Great value for under $20. This is the second vintage. Nice, intergrated acids. Surprise of the show.	6
2001	Beringer		Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon	$20	Promising.	2
2001	Beringer	Private Reserve	Cabernet Sauvignon	$85	Tight.	?
2004	Boutari	Moschofilero	Macedonia	$15		0–1
2001	Boutari	Evinos	Macedonia	$24	I Like.	3?
2003	Cantina Muzic	Bianco Bric	Collio	$24	Field blend. Wow! Very promising, nice complexity. Interesting nose. Get some. (Both available in NY only)	3–4
2003	Cantina Muzic		Collio Pinot Grigio	$21	Would drink…	1+
2000	Cesca Vicent	Lo Piot	Priorat	$45		2+
2000	Cesca Vicent	Abat Domenech	Priorat	$65	Great finish, balance. Get some. (N.B., a bottle later purchased scores only 3+)	6–8+
2002	M. Chapoutier	L’Ermite Blanc	(Marsanne)	$70	Rich, yet subtle. Good finish.	3–4
2002	M. Chapoutier	Hermitage La Sizeranne	(Syrah)		Young. Acids showing. Long finish.	3+
2004	François Chidaine	Clos du Brueil	Vouvray		Quaffer. Ready now.	3
2004	Francois Chidaine	Les Argiles	Vouvray		Very nice! Long finish. Great value.	3–4
2004	Francois Chidaine	Les Tuffeaux (demi-sec)	Montlouis Sur Loire		Has a nice sweetness.	1–2
2002	Costers del Siurana	Miserere	Priorat	$42	Tart. Nose closed. Needs time to show.	?
2002	Costers del Siurana	Clos de l'Obac	Priorat	$65	????	2
2001	Diamond Creek	Volcanic Hill	Napa	$175	Tiny pour! Very appealing.	3–5
2002	Diamond Creek	Volcanic Hill	Napa	$175	(ditto) First time I've liked Diamond Creek wines.	3–5
2002	Merry Edwards	Meredith Estate	Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir	$48		2–3+
2002	Merry Edwards	Olivet Lane	Russian River Valley Pinot Noir	$62	I really like their style of winemaking.	3+
2001	Elderton	CSM (60/30/10)	Barossa Valley			2–3
2001	Elderton	Ashmead	Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon			3?
2002	Flowers	Camp Meeting Ridge	Sonoma Coast	$65		1
2002	Flowers	Andrew-Gale Cuvée	Sonoma Coast	$50	Almost sour.	1
2004	Bruno Giacosa		Roero Arneis	$20	Nice, Smooth.	3
2004	Bruno Giacosa		Barolo	$85	A bit closed.	?
2002	Maison Louis Jadot	Clos de la Commaraine Monopole	Pommard		Nice complexity. Needs time.	3–5
2003	Maison Louis Jadot	Chateau de Lumières	Côte du Py - Morgan		Very young.	1-2?
NV	Krug	Brut Grand Cuvée	Champagne	$110		3
NV	Krug	Brut Rosé	Champagne	$210		1
2002	de Ladoucette		Pouilly-Fumé	$39		1+
2002	de Ladoucette	Comte La Fond	Sancerre	$48		2+
2004	Leasingham	Riesling	Clare Valley			0
2002	Peter Michael	La Carrière	Knights Valley	$105	Pleasant. Good acids. Oak shows on finish. I like!	3+
2002	Peter Michael	Ma Belle-Fille'	Knights Valley	$105	Very nice. Can drink now but will age nicely.	3
1981	Bodegas Montecillo	Gran Reserva "Seleccion Especial"	Rioja	$75		3
1994	Bodegas Montecillo	Monticello 130	Rioja	$52	Great nose. Buy!	4–6
2003	Egon Mϋller	Kabinett Qmp	Scharzhofberger	$42	Very Spätlese-like (which, of course, also explains the price). Sweetness.	3
2001	Niebaum-Coppola	Rubicon	Napa	$80	Extracted. Seems promising!	1–4
2001	Parusso		Barolo	$60	Ok. Retaste sometime–lingering finish.	1–2
1998	Parusso	Mariondino	Barolo	$70	More appealing and complex.	2–3
2002	Pieropan	La Rocca	Soave Classico	$43	Something to this!	?
2003	La Pietra del Focolare	Augusto	Colli di Luni	$28	Good!	1–2
2003	La Pietra del Focolare	Villa Linda	Colli di Luni	$38	Good acids. Fun!	3
1998	Prunotto	Bric Turot	Barbaresco	$76	Still very young. I like! Long finish.	4–6+
2000	Prunotto	Bussia	Barolo	$76	Tannins dominate but aren’t harsh. Needs 5-10 years before trying again.	3?
2003	Tamarack Cellars	Firehouse Red	Columbia Valley	$20	Did nothing for me.
2003	Tamarack Cellars		Merlot Columbia Valley	$28	Ditto.
2002	Tenuta dell’Ornellaia	La Serre Nuove	Bolgheri Rosso	$50	Bolgheri. Cab/Cab franc/Mourvedre	3–4
2002	Tenuta dell’Ornellaia	Ornellaia	Bolgheri	$145	Harsh. Will this open someday?	?
2003	Williams Selyem		Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir	$50	Very nice.	3
2002	Williams Selyem		Russian River Valley Pinot Noir	$75	Better acids. Liked both.	3