TN: al fresco wines with friends- VdP, CA, WA
 

A dear friend is having a hip replacement repaired today (she had
choice words for the doctors who put it in!), decided to have some
friends over last night for a pre-surgery party. Gotta love that kind
of spirit, and a group who love her gathered for food (BBQ chicken,
assorted salads, deviled eggs with shrimp, etc), conversation, and
some liquids- beer, plus some wine:

2002 Saintsbury "Brown Ranch" Chardonnay (Carneros)
Though Dana wasn't drinking much night before, I brought this because
she's a Chardonnay lover. Butterscotch and toasty oak on nose, rich
pear fruit. Not flabby, good acidity for California, a pretty good not-
over-the-top example of California Chardonnay. Maybe a little short.
Better by itself than with food, but I enjoyed. B/B+

2005 Iche/Ch. d'Oupia "Les Heretiques" (VdP de l'Hérault)
A nice showing by this QPR winner (one of those wines that does well
outside!). Mostly warm red berry fruit, not especially big, just a
nice welterweight that punches a bit above its class. Raspberry fruit
is accented by some earth, herb and meat nuances, this could hold its
own with many Rhones at twice the price (or more). B+, but solid A for
value ($7.xx)

2004 J. Lohr "Seven Oaks" Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles)
Red and black currants, a little vanillay oak, decent party wine but
while weightier than the preceding wine, lacks that wine's definition
and verve. This is the journeyman middleweight that ain't never gonna
be a contender. B-

2005 Ex-Libris Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley)
Not really sure how a current release wine would be called ex-libris.
Sweet cassis, a little blueberry, lots of vanilla. Seems more CA than
WA to me. Good concentration, popular around the table, but
stylistically too ripe/sweet/lowacid for me. A cocky young
cruiserweight which wouldn't last long with a real champ. B/B-

A great spring evening, we all had fun, and enjoyed gathering around
one of our own.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency