Twin Cities Wine Tasting with John Glas
Host your own wine tasting with John Glas

Twin Cities Wine Club Presents

Cheaper Cabernets or Similar Grape Variety $20 to $30

 Sunday, November 5 2006

Official Sponsor

Excelsior Vintage Wine Shop

378 Oak Street & County Rd 19

Excelsior, MN 55331

952-401-0346

 

Details of the Event:

Theme:  Cheaper Cabernet or Similar Grape Variety

Where:  Biaggi’s Eden Prairie Mall (Official Restaurant of the Twin Cities Wine Club)

When:  November 5, 2006

Time:  5:30 to 9:00

Cost of Wines: $20 to $30

 

There are several good worldwide wines out there in this price range and let’s see who brings the most impressive one as we will again try them all blind.  Some great prizes for first, second and third so do some research and bring your A game selection.  If you need a suggestion contact John Glas at wineglas@comcast.net and I will steer you in the right direction for a possible top three wine of the night.

 

Two intro wines  provided by Greg Varner owner of the Excelsior Vintage

1.  2005 Torbreck Barossa Valley Marsanne Roussanne

Color:  Yellowish hue

Nose:  Apple, peach

Taste:  Mineral, little bitter and apple

Finish:  Multi layered medium finish with pear and other tropical fruit

Evaluation:  A nice drinking wine by itself or with sea food.  88 Points

2.  Dobbes Family Estate Rogue Valley Viognier

Color:  Light yellow

Nose:  Tropical fruit and mineral

Taste:  Mineral and acidic

Finish:  Short finish with mineral notes

Evaluation:  Finish was weak but should be enjoyable more in the summer heat. 83 points

 

Summary:

This was a smaller attended event then normal (Hunting Season Opener) but those in attendance were treated to a $200 bottle of 2002 Torbreck Run Rig which wine critic Robert Parker gave a 99 point score.  Greg Varner inserted this into the middle of the tasting and it was certainly the wine of the night!  The most pleasant surprise was the 2003 Yorkville Cellars Petite Verdot that Greg also brought.  If you like full forward throttle wines then this is for you.  My second favorite wine of the night was the 2003 Walter Clore Reserve from Columbia Crest.  It does need some cellar time but had a mix of flavors that blended together nicely.  It was another enjoyable event and I look forward to the events in 2007.

The Wines:

1.  2003 Yorkville Yorkville Highlands Cabernet Franc

Color:  Medium purple

Nose:  Earth and dirt

Taste:  Spice with bite.  Floral notes also present

Finish:  Medium and multi layered with spice and pepper

Evaluation:  A nice in your face wine that should be a hit with party guests.  86 points

2.  2003 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Reserve

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Pepper, darker fruit with cherry, plum and spice

Taste:  Pepper, earth, with a buttery note

Finish:  Cherry, buttery note, little tannic, into a long finish.

Evaluation:  This wine will improve with cellar time.  91 points

3.  2003 Yorkville Petite Verdot

Color:  Dark purple

Nose:  Dark fruits, spice, and earth

Taste:  Floral, spice, pepper

Finish:  Nice lip smacking wine with dark fruits and pepper

Evaluation:  A great intense wine that should be served in a party lineup to shake things up.  A winner!   90 points

4.  2002 Torbreck Run Rig Barossa Valley Shiraz

Color:  Dark purple with serious legs and very thick

Nose:  Intense nose with plum, floral, purple ink, and licorice

Taste:  Floral, spice, medium alcohol, red currants

Evaluation:  Complex with spice, hints of tobacco, and over a minute  93 points

5.  2003 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon

Color:  Deep purple

Nose:  Earth, dark fruit

Taste:  Tannic with floral notes

Finish:  Earth and floral notes

Evaluation:  Cellar for three to five years and see if the tannins calm down.  84 points

6.  2002 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Color: Deep purple

Nose:  Tannic at first but they died down, plum and red pepper

Taste:  Tannins, red pepper with plum

Finish:  Medium with nice fruit and earth tones

Evaluation:  Cellar this wine for a few years and revisit.  87 points

7.  1999 Altesino Brunello di Monalcino

Color:  light purple

Nose:  Little musty

Taste:  Red pepper, bitter, and a little tannic

Finish:  Medium with nothing exciting

Evaluation:  83 points  Could very well have been damaged due to poor storage conditions.  ALWAYS KEEP WINES STORED AT 55 DEGREES AND 75 PERCENT HUMIDITY IF YOU WANT THEM TO SHOW THEIR BEST.

8.  Santa Margherita Prosecco Sparkling Wine

Color:  Light

Nose:  A little pear

Taste:  Little bitter

Finish:  Nothing much

Evaluation:  73 points

Next Event is December 1 which is the Quilceda Creek Vertical Tasting.