Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Yalumba from Barossa Valley, Australia. Yalumba The Octavius has established a reputation as one of Australia's icon Shiraz wines, an amazing feat considering the first release was the 1990 vintage. In addition to being sourced from a number of very old vineyards in the Barossa, The Octavius is matured in American oak octaves of 90 liters capacity. It is the only red wine in the world that is matured in such small barrels. The secret of the wine not becoming overpowered by the oak lies in the wood which is seasoned at Yalumba's own on-site cooperage for eight years before the octaves are crafted. Yalumba The Octavius 2003 is very dark, impenetrable, deep black purple red in colour. A fine nose of ripe dark fruits, plums, prunes and licorice exudes scents of violets, dark chocolate and espresso. A smooth, silky textured palate seamlessly integrates inky black berry flavours. Beautifully refined with supple tannins, this is a wine of outstanding poise, elegance and length.

Red Wine by Stags Leap Winery from Napa Valley, California. Inspired by a local Native American legend, founder Horace Chase named his Napa wine estate Stags' Leap with the inaugural 1893 vintage. The Leap honors the heroic stag who, in the legend, vaulted across a chasm in the Palisade cliffs above the property to elude pursuers. The block of our Estate Vineyard we call The Leap lays at the doorstep of the historic Stags Leap Manor House. This is the heart of the estate, with exceptionally well-drained volcanic soil that produces our most distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon . We created the wine to celebrate this block and to offer collectors a long-lived Cabernet, one that speaks to the unique terroir of the Stags Leap District. As is tradition here at Stags' Leap, we put the Cabernet through an extended maceration to extract color and structure and fermented the fruit in a combination of open and closed tanks for maximum flavor development. Two years of ageing in French oak barrels completes the process. The nose shows elegant, dried herb aromatics, leading into ripe flavors of black fruits: blackberry, plum and cassis. That briary character, a Stags' Leap signature, is in evidence, as are notes of rhubarb, black pepper and licorice. A structure of finely grained tannin is the last major component here, binding the ripe, mature flavors together and ensuring that this wine will continue to evolve in the cellar for many years to come.

Red Wine by Silver Oak from Napa Valley, California. Don't forget - the new vintage of Twomey 2004 Merlot is here! A limited time, save $10 per bottle (15% savings). Silver Oak 2003 Napa Valley is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It was blended in early 2004 and transferred to 100% new American oak barrels for aging. Silver Oak blends prior to barreling to achieve a balance of the wine's natural elements, such as fruit and tannin, before they are influenced by oak. The wine is then aged in barrel for approximately 25 months and another 20 months in bottle to harmonize its components before release. The 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and concentrated wine that deftly balances intensity and finesse. The wine has a dark garnet color with a deep purple edge, and displays aromas of blackberry jam, dark chocolate, rose petal, black pepper and cedar. In the mouth, the attack is quite rich, expressing notes of brown sugar and nutmeg, and the flavors proceed seamlessly to a long finish of fruit and ripe tannins. Properly cellared, this wine should give drinking pleasure until 2027.

Red Wine by Le Macchiole from Tuscany, Italy. Named for the vineyard of its provenance, Paleo Rosso is the flagship wine for Le Macchiole and was the first wine in Bolgheri to made entirely from Cabernet Franc. Ruby red with violet flecks, its red fruit aroma offers notes of yellow and black pepper, tobacco, and nutmeg. Clean on the palate, it finishes with elegant minerality, ripe fruit, and a hint of balsamic. Moderately saturated ruby. Cassis, plum and milk chocolate on the nose, lifted by a floral perfume. Sweet, dense and youthfully unevolved, with classic cabernet flavors of dark berries, graphite, and a touch of cedar. Broadens out impressively on the back end and shows increasing sweetness of fruit with extended aeration. -International Wine Cellar

Red Wine by Frescobaldi from Tuscany, Italy. A generous, multi-layered aromatic spectrum, veined with crisp nuances of menthol, followed by clean-edged fragrances of dark red berries, in particular blackberry and blueberry. Last to emerge are notes of rich spice, where elegant hints of black pepper and cinnamon predominate, capped by pungent tobacco leaf. It shows exquisite balance on the palate: a subtle weave of dense tannins integrates nicely with a full-bodied, beautiful structure, and a thread of crisp acidity acts as an elegant foil to its heady, opulent alcohol. It unfurls an almost endless finish that is complex and appealing.

Red Wine by Clarendon Hills from McLaren Vale, Australia. Planted in the Onkaparinga Valley in the Clarendon Hills area, this wine is always very peppery and spicy with nuances of Leather and minerals. A most individual wine - always very deeply coloured and with abundant tannin. One of McLaren Vale's most astonishing Syrahs is Clarendon Hills' amazing 2004 Syrah Hickinbotham. Its inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, smoked meats, melted licorice, coffee beans, graphite, and bacon fat. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, and rich, with moderately high tannin, huge structure as well as massive concentration and intensity, but a sense of elegance, balance, and equilibrium, it should be cellared for 2-3 years, and drunk over the following two decades. -Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Ch. La Nerthe from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France - Rhone. Cuvee des Cadettes is a result of strict selections of the best Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre Chateau La Nerthe has to offer combined with maturing in 100% small barrels. It is recognized as being among the finest bottlings of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Red Wine by Clarendon Hills from McLaren Vale, Australia. A black, sexy beast, the 2004 Syrah Brookman (aged in 50% new French oak) offers up amazingly full-bodied, intense, blackberry fruit intermixed with notions of roasted coffee, flowers, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully textured, opulent, and long, it should drink well for 10-15 years. It appears to be slightly more forward than it was last year. -Wine Advocate

Red Wine by Chateau Montelena from Napa Valley, California. This wine is a typically bright ruby red, with opaque density and color, which leads to a nice array of aromas: sweet black currant jam, with hints of black cherry and flowers. There is much fruit in the nose, not unexpected considering the excellent ripeness achieved in this vintage. The unique blend of soils in Ch. Montelena's vineyard leads to very pleasing layers of complexity, and there is an evident menthol-cedar note attributable to the volcanic soil component. On the palate this wine delivers intense, broad and sweet fruit, layered with spicy cherry, and even a bit of chocolate. The overall structure of the 2003 Estate Cabernet is ripe and rich, pure and well delineated. It is very much in the Montelena Estate style, in which vineyard flavors drive the wine. It is a very structured Cabernet from a great growing year, and it will greatly reward you after a few more years of cellaring. The powerful, concentrated 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (14.3% alcohol) exhibits aromas of black currant jam, tar, smoke, and forest floor. This opulent, rich 2003, while less flamboyant than the extroverted 2002, is deep, chewy, pure, and well-delineated. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+. At the end of my tastings, Bo Barrett opened a 1986 Montelena (rated 94), and it is still incredibly young, rich, vibrant, and full-bodied. It is a terrific expression of Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon made by a master. It appears to have another 20-25 years of aging potential. -Robert Parker 93-95 Points

Red Wine by Ch?teau Pichon-Longueville-Lalande from Pauillac, France - Bordeaux. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2004 Pichon Lalande is vaguely reminiscent of the 1986 and 1988. Deep ruby/purple-tinged, with moderately high, firm tannin, a degree of austerity, plummy black currant fruit intermixed with licorice, smoke, and dried herbs, good freshness, and medium body, give it 2-3 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 15+ years. Robert Parker - Wine Advocate 90-92 Points Aromas of currant, flowers and berries follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a fruity finish. Round and very caressing. Best after 2010. Wine Spectator 90 Points There is only one question about what is otherwise a magnificent wine - whether the current dominant wood flavors will soften and blend enough. If they do, then the powerful fruit, spice and freshness will all come together in a stellar wine. Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

Red Wine by Guigal from Rhone, France - Rhone. Only 200 cases made. A successful effort for the vintage, the 2004 St.-Joseph Vignes des Hospices exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a beautiful perfume of black raspberries, crushed rocks, flowers, licorice, and a hint of tapenade. Rich, medium-bodied, and concentrated, this is a stunning success for a vintage such as 2004. It should drink well for a decade. -Wine Advocate 90-92

Red Wine by Antinori from Tuscany, Italy. Extraordinary intense ruby red in color. Intensely fruity, more of cherry than cassis, with hints of toast, coffee and dark chocolate. Finely structured and complex; balanced, with soft tannins and a lingering finish. Displays unmistakable varietal flavor while retaining strong regional character. Guado al Tasso, meaning literally Badger's Ford, takes its name from a common sight at the estate of Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri, where it is produced. The vineyard is at an elevation between 44 and 58 metres (145 and 190 feet) above sea-level on stony, slightly calcareous soils. Tenuta Guado al Tasso is located 60 miles southwest of Florence, near the medieval village of Bolgheri, in an area known as the Maremma. The 900 hectares (2,223 acres) estate stretches up from the shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the hills, and aside from extensive vineyards, also grows wheat, corn, sunflowers, tomatoes and olive trees. Guado al Tasso was first produced in 1990. All the vintages have been produced in limited quantities. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Syrah and other red grape varieties.