Tahbilk Goulburn Valley Marsanne, 1992

This deep amber colored white wine is a curiosity. The grapes come from some of the oldest Marsanne vines in the world, taken from grafts from the Hermitage area of the Northern Rhone. As White Hermitage or as Australian Marsanne, it is a wine made for long aging. And, at 18 years of age, this bottle is a delight to drink.

The deep color is bound to elicit some doubt. But I have detected a similar color for many years, through the transparent bottle and in previously opened bottles. A decade ago I also found oxidized smells and flavors and did not find the wine very pleasant to drink. Not so, tonight. Beautifully ripe apricots and peaches, honey toast, mushrooms, hazelnuts and dried fruits. Wow! Smells and tastes like an aged dessert wine but it is bone dry. Very rich texture but very little acidity. Medium finish. This wine is unique but not for everyone. 

Tahbilk's vintage chart lists it as drinkable but in decline with a suggested value of $45.
 

Iron + Sand Paso Robles Cabernet, 2018

 Iron + Sand seems to me a perfect name for this wine. It has a strong, earthy core of flavor with an iron-solid structure plus the charm and aromatics that are typical of grapes grown in sandy, mountainous soil. Although I am usually lukewarm regarding Paso Robles Cabernets, this wine grabbed my attention and approval. Accompanying braised lamb with pearl couscous risotto, it was, in my view, the highlight of the Trinchero virtual wine dinner from Fieldstone Grill.

Dense, deep, purplish colors. Deep aromas: dark cherries, black fruits, spice. Concentrated on the palate: dark fruit, cherries and chocolate. Tannins are apparent but they are ripe and open enough to let some fruit show through, even in its youth. Complements the braised lamb and sauce. Good now but I suspect five to eight years in the cellar will soften the tannins and bring out greater complexity and flavor interest.

Hope's End Red Blend, 2017

 This Red Blend is an Australian version of a Cotes du Rhone--mostly a blend of Grenache (39%) and Syrah, also known as Shiraz (41%). Other grapes, in this wine but not typical of Cotes du Rhone, are Malbec (12%) and Petit Verdot (8%). Although the grapes comes from South Australia, the wine is sold by Trinchero 'Family Estates of St. Helena, Napa County, California.

When first poured, I noted the bright crimson color typical of Grenache but also darker tones, even some purple that suggests oak maturation. Grenache is also apparent in the bright red berry aromas and flavors that make the wine a friendly and useful choice for a range of every day dishes. The winemaker's notes use the term "jam" twice, and, yes, the wine is ripe enough to cover up some of the rough oak tannins. The notes also mention "vanilla" and a "hint of chocolate." Compared to my favorite Cotes du Rhone wines, this Hope's End Red Blend is a bit awkward and heavy handed. Others, who are more attuned to New World wines, might disagree.

Part of a Trinchero virtual tasting staged by Fieldstone Grill in Portage, the Hope's End Red Blend went well with a delicious onion and mushroom tart (part of the tasting) but was too heavy for grilled Atlantic salmon the following night.

Trader Joe's Reserve Carneros Chardonnay, Lot #204, 2019

This $10 Chardonnay at Trader Joe's has the Carneros qualities that you might expect in a wine costing two or three times that much. It is from the Napa side of the Carneros appellation. 

Bright medium yellow. Red Haven peach: ripe and juicy but with zesty citrus acidity. Not too much oak. Good with salmon or for drinking before the meal.

Phillps Hill Oppenlander Pinot Noir, 2006

The Oppenlander Vineyard is not in the Anderson Valley but about five miles northwest in Comptche's Surprise Valley at an altitude of 600 feet. Rusty Gaffney, M.D., the retired ophthalmologist who writes the free PinotFile newsletter (an excellent source of tasting notes), says that he has never had a bad wine from this vineyard. Although my experience (with Pinot Noir as well as the Oppenlander Vineyard) is miniscule compared to Dr. Gaffney's, I wholeheartedly agree.

I opened the bottle about 45 minutes before the meal. At this time, the color, smells and fruit  flavors were deep and concentrated, though not extraordinary. As the night grew on, though, the intensity and strength of the fruit continued to grow. A true "come-back-to-me" nose offering more and greater pleasure with each sniff. Cherries, dark fruit and ginger. Really, though, complexity, of the kind that comes with age, is the guiding force behind this wine with no one descriptor standing out. Complexity and intensity. The texture is incredibly silky with rich fruit flavors resting on top and a finish that refuses to stop. I can't say enough good things about this wine...or the Oppenlander Vineyard.

Domaine Sainte-Anne Cotes du Rhone, 2007

From most Southern Rhone appellations, particularly Cairanne, I have found the 2005 vintage to be better and more ageworthy than the highly hyped 2007 wines. For Domaine Sainte-Anne, located farther west in Saint Gervais, I am very happy with the 2007s.

Good color, fading a bit, as to be expected after 13 years. Bouquet focuses on Syrah black fruits with minty/thyme notes. More Grenache red fruit on the palate. Rich, ripe fruit in the middle with a touch of black pepper that is not very common in Sainte-Anne wines. A bit hot (14.5% alcohol) on the finish.

Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, 2005

 This wine was a bit of a disappointment...perhaps because I tasted it beside the John Duval Entity Shiraz (below), a much younger and more forceful statement. Actually, John Duval is the former winemaker at Penfolds and probably supervised the making of this Bin 128, which is still a very good wine. 

Penfolds has always believed in preserving the personalities of certain wines that have been in the winery's portfolio for many years. This wine reflects the appellation (Coonawarra), the vintage (2005), and the Bin 128 profile, which were all a little less than what Duval had to work with in his 2015 Entity Shiraz, selected from some of the best old vines in Barossa.

Color is still dark although lacking a bit in brilliance. Forward black fruit, spice and floral aromas with more than the usual amount of vanilla. From what I have read, the 2005 vintage of this wine is fading a bit faster than its 2004 sibling. Ripe fruit gives mid-palate pleasure. Not as deep or concentrated as the Entity Shiraz and the balance is tilting a bit toward the alcohol. But still a very good wine.