During a recent night over in Sonoma with my friends Barb and John Drady, owners of Sonoma Coast Vineyards, I made a culinary pilgrimage to Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg. I was attracted to the restaurant because I had heard it offered an extraordinary dining experience and I am always up for that. Well, I am writing this blog to tell our i-WineReview readers that this restaurant is without a doubt one of the finest, if not the finest restaurants in California-a true culinary mecca in the same league as the French Laundry, and perhaps even better.
During my sojourn I experienced an outstanding selection of Chef Douglas Keane's refined fusion dishes (French, California and Asian)at the Bar such as Paparadelle with Braised Rabbit, Stripped Bass with Cardoons and Artichokes, Veal Loin with Rosti Potatoes, Sweet Breads, all with superb seasonal ingredients complex sauces, essences and foams. I also put myself in the hands of Sommelier, Jim Rollston, and was treated to fabulous wine pairings from a dream wine list. Lastly, the elegance of the setting and the attentiveness of the Cyrus staff gave me a warm welcoming feeling I don't often experience in restaurants.
I could go on and on about this magnificent restaurant but I want to finish by urging our readers of the International Wine Review to dine at Cyrus the next time they visit California Wine Country. It is a wine and food experience not to miss!!!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Wall Street Journal on 2005 Affordable Bordeaux; International Wine Review on Chateau Thieuley, Chateau Clarke, Chateau Cap de Faugeres
The Jan. 11 issue of the Wall Street Journal includes a review by Gaiter and Brecher of 2005 affordable Bordeaux. They report the results on 10 wines, including 3 which we also reviewed in our December 2007 Featured Monthly Tasting. Our notes on these three wines follow; Gaiter's and Brecher's assessments are pretty similar to those of the International Wine Review.
Château Bourbon La Chapelle 2005 Cru Bourgeois-Medoc ($15) 88
Sourced from the vineyards of the Cru Bourgeois estate of Château Castera, this Château Bourbon La Chapelle is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 % Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. It has a dark ruby color with lovely aromas of black currants and red fruits with notes of leather, tobacco and cedar. It is medium-bodied on the palate with excellent balance and rounded tannins on the finish.
Château Marjosse 2005 Bordeaux ($15) 87
The 2005 Château Marjosse displays a lovely ruby color with aromas of fresh red fruits. Merlot-based, it reveals a light-bodied palate that offers a round red berry fruit attack, excellent balance and a firm finish. Marjosse is the home estate of Pierre Lurton, managing director of Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yguem.
Château Pey la Tour 2005 Bordeaux ($15) 85
This blend of 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot is medium to full ruby in color and has a spicy red and black fruit herbal nose. On the palate it displays a soft sweet and slight candied fruit attack and a short finish.
We reviewed over a 100 affordable Bordeaux in the December FMT. And we'll be reporting on our tasting of another 125 affordable Cru Bourgeois in the February-March issue of the International Wine Review. By the way, this is the most extensive tasting done by anyone to date of 2005 affordable Bordeaux, and we wish to thank the generous assistance of L'Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Medoc in organizing our tastings.
As a teaser, here are our reviews on a couple of our favorite affordable 2005 Bordeaux from the December FMT:
Château Thieuley 2005 Bordeaux ($13) 91
The 2005 Château Thieuley is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It displays a beautiful dark ruby color and fresh ripe cranberry and pomegranate aromas. On the palate it offers sweet blackberry fruit and a soft lush mouth feel. It is a beautifully sculpted wine, refined and elegant, with a long lasting and firm finish. Drinkable now, but will be even better after a few years of cellaring. This is classic Bordeaux offered at a terrific price.
Château Clarke 2005 Listrac-Medoc ($22) 92
Château Clarke (Baron Edmond de Rothschild) is a delicious blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that is aged in French oak barrels (mainly new) for about 16 months. Dense and opaque ruby/purple in color, this beautifully made wine displays aromas of black currant and plum fruit on the nose. On the palate, it offers a powerful attack of full-bodied earthy black currant fruit. ripe tannins and a long finish. This bottling would benefit from a year or two of cellaring. A great value.
Château Cap de Faugères 2005 Côtes de Castillon ($20) 93
Château Cap de Faugères is among the noteworthy producers of the Côtes de Castillon. This 60 ha estate of low yielding vineyards, produces dark and concentrated wines that are full-flavored and rich in texture. The 2005 displays ripe and meaty black fruit aromas with notes of cedar. On the palate it is lush and fruited with highly extracted spice, plum and blackberry fruit, beautiful balance, ripe tannins and a long finish.
The 2005 Bordeaux vintage is stellar, and as these reviews indicate, you don't have to pay a fortune to get an outstanding wine. Buy now while there's still a good selection!
Château Bourbon La Chapelle 2005 Cru Bourgeois-Medoc ($15) 88
Sourced from the vineyards of the Cru Bourgeois estate of Château Castera, this Château Bourbon La Chapelle is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 % Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. It has a dark ruby color with lovely aromas of black currants and red fruits with notes of leather, tobacco and cedar. It is medium-bodied on the palate with excellent balance and rounded tannins on the finish.
Château Marjosse 2005 Bordeaux ($15) 87
The 2005 Château Marjosse displays a lovely ruby color with aromas of fresh red fruits. Merlot-based, it reveals a light-bodied palate that offers a round red berry fruit attack, excellent balance and a firm finish. Marjosse is the home estate of Pierre Lurton, managing director of Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yguem.
Château Pey la Tour 2005 Bordeaux ($15) 85
This blend of 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot is medium to full ruby in color and has a spicy red and black fruit herbal nose. On the palate it displays a soft sweet and slight candied fruit attack and a short finish.
We reviewed over a 100 affordable Bordeaux in the December FMT. And we'll be reporting on our tasting of another 125 affordable Cru Bourgeois in the February-March issue of the International Wine Review. By the way, this is the most extensive tasting done by anyone to date of 2005 affordable Bordeaux, and we wish to thank the generous assistance of L'Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Medoc in organizing our tastings.
As a teaser, here are our reviews on a couple of our favorite affordable 2005 Bordeaux from the December FMT:
Château Thieuley 2005 Bordeaux ($13) 91
The 2005 Château Thieuley is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It displays a beautiful dark ruby color and fresh ripe cranberry and pomegranate aromas. On the palate it offers sweet blackberry fruit and a soft lush mouth feel. It is a beautifully sculpted wine, refined and elegant, with a long lasting and firm finish. Drinkable now, but will be even better after a few years of cellaring. This is classic Bordeaux offered at a terrific price.
Château Clarke 2005 Listrac-Medoc ($22) 92
Château Clarke (Baron Edmond de Rothschild) is a delicious blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that is aged in French oak barrels (mainly new) for about 16 months. Dense and opaque ruby/purple in color, this beautifully made wine displays aromas of black currant and plum fruit on the nose. On the palate, it offers a powerful attack of full-bodied earthy black currant fruit. ripe tannins and a long finish. This bottling would benefit from a year or two of cellaring. A great value.
Château Cap de Faugères 2005 Côtes de Castillon ($20) 93
Château Cap de Faugères is among the noteworthy producers of the Côtes de Castillon. This 60 ha estate of low yielding vineyards, produces dark and concentrated wines that are full-flavored and rich in texture. The 2005 displays ripe and meaty black fruit aromas with notes of cedar. On the palate it is lush and fruited with highly extracted spice, plum and blackberry fruit, beautiful balance, ripe tannins and a long finish.
The 2005 Bordeaux vintage is stellar, and as these reviews indicate, you don't have to pay a fortune to get an outstanding wine. Buy now while there's still a good selection!
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