Day 2 Eugene, Oregon - Power of Social Media

Day 2 really shows what you can accomplish with social media. From Wine Forums [WLTV] &  Twitter. Its amazing, when used properly the internet is great.

Day 2 started like any morning, I woke up and had a shower, its the only decent thing to do really.  Matt [@hogan777] had plans! to visit some of his local wine stores, since he has connections and all, I called up @colemannicole [aka Brandon Miller] and told him to meet us at the Broadway in Eugene [I have no idea where Downtown Im guessing?]  We met talked about wine and Brandon sold some of his wine to the fine merchant Angus.  After that we split up for mid afternoon lunch.

We met later on for our Bordeaux night of wine. Bordeaux Varietal is what I mean, and I must say I was impressed with the Okanagan Red I brought because well I've had the recent vintage of Osyoos Larose at tasting and its just differnt, but 04 in a magnum! in  a good state.  And Ben's Walla Walla he brought yeah pretty amazing.  and the two 01's great, and the Paso Robles fantastic.  Really everything everyone brought did its job and added so much to the education of wine.


BORDEAUX NIGHT OREGON 2010 - Eugene, Oregon [SmileDoc's House] (11/15/2010)
This was Bordeaux night in Eugene at a Local Orthodontist house, many a Bordeaux blend very delicious evening if I may say with a nice tour of the cellar private cellar

• 2008 Nk'mip Cellars Chardonnay Qwam Qwmt - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA
  
  Great Acid, Fresh Fruit, Peaches, Apples, Pears. Opening up with some Oak but still in Balance with the fantastic Acidity that the Okanagan can bring (89 pts.)
• 2001 La Bastide Dauzac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  
  seemed to have lost my notes on this wine.
  
  Starting to brick, Med Intensity on the Nose, this wine was more elegant and feminne on the nose and palate, a Very Pure Cranberry Mid-Palate [which Brandon did mention] and then the finish was a little short This is a drink up now. But I still enjoyed it (89 pts.)
• 2004 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley, Okanagan Valley VQA
  
  From a Magnum
  
  This is what I would call more Bordeaux then any of the WallaWalla/Napa I have had with that nice "Roasted Red Peppers" and Cranberry/Raspberry palate/nose. Notes of Wood [cab franc] a nice wine. Opens up nicely too.
  
  From the Magnum has plenty of time left in it (90 pts.)
• 2003 Château de Cruzeau - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  
  Starting to Brick, Developing on the nose, Earth, Savory, Dark Chocolate, Bigger Round Palate. Quite Delicious (90 pts.)
• 2001 Château Lagrange St. Julien - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  
  A big wine, masculine power behind it, cassis, graphite, pain du bread or however the french put it.
  
  Showing very well, and still has time to age even more. (91 pts.)
• 2005 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  
  Big Nose of Liquor, Umami/Savoury on the Palate Gorgeous Red fruit mixed with a little Dark, that Walla Walla brings, has great acid, that Walla Walla terrior just showing itself nicely
  
  Decanted for a while and still big (91 pts.)
• 2002 Justin Vineyard Isosceles Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  
  Med+/Pronounced Nose, Starting to Develop, Cassis++ and Savoury Notes
  Taste Med Acid, Full Body, Liquor of Cassis, Blackberry Jam. You can feel the warmth of Paso Robles. A End of the Night time of wine big powerful and utterly Delicious. (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker


THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.)
• Extraordinary (96-100 points)
• Outstanding (90-95)
• Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
• Good (80-84)
• Average (75-79)
• Below average (70-74)
• Avoid (50-70)

Day 1 of Eugene Oregon Trip

Woke up at 6am to Get to Oregon by 3pm, only 30mins Late. The Reason I had to make it on time was a friend [who I was staying with] hooked up a tasting at his friends private cellar. A big Napa Cab guy, which for me is great I don't drink a lot of Napa Cabs or for that matter USA in general just so expensive up here in canada, and most USA wineries don't discount as much to agents, then Taxes, and everything just sucks.

So it started by heading over to the his house on the hills of Eugene, which is pretty nice, big trees I was in love.  Then to the house and the Cellar.  Who doesn't love a good cellar tour.  This is in his kitchen/bar area, and custom built with a bank door which he mentioend he picked up from an auction or something.  Pretty Sweet eh, holds about 4000 bottles.  Since I was the guest I was allowed to pick any wine to drink, I saw a magnum of Opus One 1997 but I didn't want to open 1.5L of wine for 3 people so I found a 2001 Silver Oak.  I wanted something with age to find out how California does in the aging department.

Before we could drink a red we needed to drink a white, and Steve asked if I was a white wine drinking I told him I am, and asked about California Chardonnays, and maybe year and half ago I would be totally turned off, but my tastes are turning to enjoy some oak in my whites. Southern Rhone Viognier/Marsanne/Rousanne blends just luciously delicious yes please!  So we opened a 2006 Pahlmeyer. Good big and California but restrained and not over the top. So we open the Silver Oak, definitly some develop going on and having a med body, you know not in your face.  Very Refined, maybe a little to refined?  Now this is where the story gets good, he saw that I picked a silver oak and we were talking about it how people pick it because of his name and he felt sorry for me in a sense lol.  And Decided to open a bunch American Wines to show me what he likes and whats better Im guessing hah.

2004 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2004 Peter Michael L'Esprit des Pavots
2004 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 

I must say my wine of the night was the Leonetti, great acid, sour ripe red fruits, dark fruit yummy.  The Peter Michael we drank after the Lewis which I think kinda of killed it, but Peter Michael was still pretty good. Then he sent us home with the wines and a wine for our Tuesday night pinot dinner as he could not make it!

Great Guy, thanks Steve! [and of Course Matt @hogan777 for the hookup]



WINES FROM STEVE'S PRIVATE CELLAR. - Hills of Eugene (11/14/2010)
A friend in eugene took me to one of his wine friends, and we visited his cellar approx 4000bottles, and this was a selection of what the 3 of us drank that evening.

• 2006 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  
  med lemon in colour, on the nose med intensity, mineral, oak, sweet corn
  T: med acid, full body, med+ intensity
  creamy meringue/lemon pie, apple, nutmeg/spice, apricot
  
  conc: good balance but definitely has oak (90 pts.)
• 2001 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley
  
  c: dark ruby
  a: med/med+ intensity, vegtal notes, dark fruit, showing signs of developing
  t: med acid, med body, med intensity, med+ finish
  graphite, cranberry
  
  conc: good wine with some developing character note as big as I was expecting. losing its inital fruit in a good state I would say (89 pts.)
• 2004 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
  
  a: med intensity, vegetal ripe, mushy peas,
  T: med+ acid, high tannin[silky smooth], full body, long finish
  dark currant jam/cassis
  
  conc: very delicious to me this is what I think of napa cab. (91 pts.)
• 2004 Peter Michael L'Esprit des Pavots - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
  
  Nose of Cab Franc comes shining through. med body, very refined and elegant. drinking after the lewis this is a refreshing drink (90 pts.)
• 2004 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  
  c: dark purple
  a: med +intensity
  floral, red fruit
  t: med+acid, high tannin, med+ intensity, long finish
  Grippy tannins, cranberry, opens up nicely over time dried flowers,
  
  conc: it has a very refreshing taste, the acid/cranberry just makes it so nice (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker


THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.)
• Extraordinary (96-100 points)
• Outstanding (90-95)
• Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
• Good (80-84)
• Average (75-79)
• Below average (70-74)
• Avoid (50-70)

Time

Well its been a while, started out with e Crazy September, then decided to wait for my WSET marks, but that still hasn't happen, Looks like End of November for that.


Had a Small Pinot Noir tasting at my place, with a NZ standing out pretty well. I think the one I brought received the most flack, tho I did enjoy it.


Couple Tasting here and there, Italian Trade Commision, Private Portfolio Tasting of a local importer good stuff~


And then went to Oregon for 4days [that I will be posting about]