I got together with some friends this weekend to blind taste a group
of somewhat "cult" styled wines. We started with a couple of whites
then migrated through a bunch of "trophy" wines. My brief notes
follow:

2005 Sine Qua Non Petition-Viognier, Roussane, Chardonnay blend: Oily,
opulent, aromatic, honeyed and flowery with a good lemony chardonnay
base.

2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay-Quite Burgundian with a fair amount of
stones and lemon peel. Less wood than previous Kongsgaard with a
bright acidity.

2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay "The Judge"-This is Kongsgaard's ultra
premium Chardonnay. Very similar to the regular bottling but on
steroids. Mouthfilling rich fruit yet quite elegant and Burgundian.
More lemon curd than lemon peel.

2003 Grace Family Cabernet-the nose was of pine and mint. Lighter in
style than anticipated. Medium bodied, red fruits and exotic spice
nice balance and food friendly.

1994 Diamond Creek Lake-My third tasting of this wine this year. This
bottle showed much more age than previous bottles. Very similar to
older Bordeaux, lead pencil, cedar, leather and tobacco with a fair
amount of cassis. Some thought it was a ringer and that we were
drinking '90 Mouton.

2003 Colgin Cabernet-Thick heavy blackberry syrup. Too much oak and
fruit concentration for my taste. High alcohol heat on the palate.
This was one glass was enough for an evening it was so over the top.

2004 Marcassin Blue Slide Pinot Noir-Very ripe, I mistook it for a
grenache-syrah based California wine. Extremely plummy and blueberry
fruity. Very candied and thick as syrup. Very little to connect it
with Pinot Noir.

2005 Winter Cabernet-This wine was new to me. Quite refined and well
within itself. Nicely structured. Cassis, a bit of smoke, blackberry
and plum. Smooth rich tannins. A wine to watch for.

2002 Harlan Estate-Much is written about Harlan...I'm not sure why.
It smelled and tasted like cherry cough syrup to me. Very lush, very
massive juicy fruit and plenty of oaky vanilla. Not my style.

1998 Shafer Hillside Select-Ahhhhhh reality sets in. Plenty of
mineral and stones on the nose with a pure black fruit aroma. Well
balanced and still youthful with deep rich black currant, a bit of
spicy oak but overall a terrific example of Napa Cabernet.

2003 Sloan Cabernet-Fruit by Abreu, made by Aubert. Very rich and
ripe. SLeek and clena yet far too much concentration. Very "grapey"
and "plummy" not much elegance just pure power.

1997 Araujo Eisile Cabernet-WOTN-Classic in style with a nose of sweet
black fruits and berries with a hint of Napa dust. Medium weight on
the palate. A melange of black fruits, black cherry, plum and
blackberry. Perfectly aged and ready to drink. Totally balanced.

1996 Dalle Valle Maya-Big, dark and brooding. Still very young.
Sharp nose of lead pencil, black pepper and black dirt. Medium heavy
with black coffee, cocoa and spice notes. Plenty of rich cassis and
currant flavors.