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)