100 Pontos por Robert Parker – Safra 2006

Safra de 2006 com amplo destaque para os vinhos americanos. Dos 7 pontuados por Parker com 100 pontos, 6 foram produzidos na terra do Tio Sam!

Vale dizer que em todos os anos novos vinhos poderão vir a ganhar 100 pontos, já que ninguém no mundo, nem mesmo Robert Parker, consegue degustar todos os vinhos produzidos!

Lembrando sempre que os valores são em dólares americanos e para o mercado americano.

In Vino Veritas!

Gustavo Kauffman (GK)

100 Pontos por Robert Parker – Safra 2006

2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from Edna Valley , San Luis Obispo, Central Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #190 (Aug 2010)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost:

The 2006 Syrah Reva, coming from parcels of dark, volcanic soil, has off-the-chart richness and intensity. This thick, opaque-purple colored wine offers up notes of scorched earth, ground pepper, and blackberry liqueur intermixed with cassis, licorice, camphor, and tar. The wine is spectacular in every sense. Full-bodied and certainly not for wimps, this is a remarkably concentrated yet very nuanced and intense wine that should age for 20 more years. (Not yet released) Released this fall, after having spent 43 months in barrel. It is a great vintage for this winery, and fortunately there are decent quantities available, since 2006 was a far more abundant vintage than the three very tiny crop years of 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Syrahs of 2007 are again extraordinary. I am sure they will continue to become more concentrated and put on weight as they spend more time in barrel. The 2008s won’t be released for another few years, so I will only give some brief comments. To reiterate, there is no 2008 Seymour’s, and production is even smaller at Alban in 2008 than it was in 2007. I tasted through barrel samples of the 2009 Grenache, Mourvedre, and several Syrah cuvees, and this appears to be a flamboyant vintage with big fruit, lots of ripeness, heady alcohol, and a soft, luscious, up-front style. The 2009s will be even more flattering and charming than the 2008s. Rhone Ranger pioneer John Alban was one of the very first to recognize the potential of France’s Rhone Valley grapes planted on California’s Central Coast. He is essentially the lone wolf in the Edna Valley, so Alban sits at the summit of quality in this region. His wines are probably the most concentrated wines of all the major wines reviewed in this report, but there is much more to them than just pure brute concentration. These are wines with extraordinary aging potential. Going through the 1999s and 2000s that I had purchased from Alban, they are still incredibly young wines, and I think it’s safe to say, these are probably among the longest-lived Rhone Ranger wines being produced in California. The exception would be the white wines, which are best drunk in their exuberant youthfulness. Alban’s 2006s will be released this fall, after having spent 43 months in barrel. It is a great vintage for this winery, and fortunately there are decent quantities available, since 2006 was a far more abundant vintage than the three very tiny crop years of 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Syrahs of 2007 are again extraordinary. I am sure they will continue to become more concentrated and put on weight as they spend more time in barrel. The 2008s won’t be released for another few years, so I will only give some brief comments. To reiterate, there is no 2008 Seymour’s, and production is even smaller at Alban in 2008 than it was in 2007. I tasted through barrel samples of the 2009 Grenache, Mourvedre, and several Syrah cuvees, and this appears to be a flamboyant vintage with big fruit, lots of ripeness, heady alcohol, and a soft, luscious, up-front style. The 2009s will be even more flattering and charming than the 2008s.

2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine Vineyard

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from Edna Valley , San Luis Obispo, Central Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #190 (Aug 2010)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost:

Named after his raven-haired Irish wife, the 2006 Syrah Lorraine, which comes from more sandy soils, is another prodigious effort. Like all of these wines, it is a remarkable wine of extraordinary intensity, with a stunning nose of blueberries, bacon fat, camphor, and even darker blackberries, along with unreal minerality and definition for a wine of this size and power. Full-bodied, with profound intensity of flavor as well as purity, this is another wine that spent nearly three and a half years in barrel prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. While there are 2,500 six-pack cases of the Reva, there will be only 350 six-packs of the Lorraine. (Not yet released) Released this fall, after having spent 43 months in barrel. It is a great vintage for this winery, and fortunately there are decent quantities available, since 2006 was a far more abundant vintage than the three very tiny crop years of 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Syrahs of 2007 are again extraordinary. I am sure they will continue to become more concentrated and put on weight as they spend more time in barrel. The 2008s won’t be released for another few years, so I will only give some brief comments. To reiterate, there is no 2008 Seymour’s, and production is even smaller at Alban in 2008 than it was in 2007. I tasted through barrel samples of the 2009 Grenache, Mourvedre, and several Syrah cuvees, and this appears to be a flamboyant vintage with big fruit, lots of ripeness, heady alcohol, and a soft, luscious, up-front style. The 2009s will be even more flattering and charming than the 2008s. Rhone Ranger pioneer John Alban was one of the very first to recognize the potential of France’s Rhone Valley grapes planted on California’s Central Coast. He is essentially the lone wolf in the Edna Valley, so Alban sits at the summit of quality in this region. His wines are probably the most concentrated wines of all the major wines reviewed in this report, but there is much more to them than just pure brute concentration. These are wines with extraordinary aging potential. Going through the 1999s and 2000s that I had purchased from Alban, they are still incredibly young wines, and I think it’s safe to say, these are probably among the longest-lived Rhone Ranger wines being produced in California. The exception would be the white wines, which are best drunk in their exuberant youthfulness. Alban’s 2006s will be released this fall, after having spent 43 months in barrel. It is a great vintage for this winery, and fortunately there are decent quantities available, since 2006 was a far more abundant vintage than the three very tiny crop years of 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Syrahs of 2007 are again extraordinary. I am sure they will continue to become more concentrated and put on weight as they spend more time in barrel. The 2008s won’t be released for another few years, so I will only give some brief comments. To reiterate, there is no 2008 Seymour’s, and production is even smaller at Alban in 2008 than it was in 2007. I tasted through barrel samples of the 2009 Grenache, Mourvedre, and several Syrah cuvees, and this appears to be a flamboyant vintage with big fruit, lots of ripeness, heady alcohol, and a soft, luscious, up-front style. The 2009s will be even more flattering and charming than the 2008s.

2006 Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc

A Marsanne Dry White Table wine from , Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #182 (Apr 2009)

Rating: 100

Drink 2009 - 2084

Cost: $300-$500

Tasting like an eau de vie of rocks, the 2006 Ermitage l’Ermite blanc, from the top of the appellation, is utterly profound. An astonishing achievement, there are 227 cases of this beauty. With its light straw color, thickness that resembles a liqueur, and remarkable aromatic intensity of flowers, honeyed white currants, quince, pineapples, and stones, this wine is an education in tasting what rocks might taste like if they were liquified. Exceptionally full-bodied, it is a modern day legend that should have 50-75 years of longevity. While Michel Chapoutier produces some of the world’s greatest wines from single parcels of old vines spread throughout the northern and southern Rhone (see my ecstatic reviews of his 2007 and 2006 Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #179), he also has an impressive portfolio of value-priced wines that are often over-looked when this impressive producer is discussed. Following are some top-notch picks that all sell for exceptionally fair prices. Chapoutier has not achieved as great as success in Cornas as he has in the other northern Rhone appellations, although his Cornas wines get better with each vintage. There are four extraordinary single vineyard white wines, all of which are among the greatest dry white wines of the world. While all of them can be drunk young, they are meant for extended cellaring. Made from very small yields, they represent the essence of a varietal as well as a vineyard site. As the following notes demonstrate, 2006 was one of the greatest vintages for white wines at Chapoutier. The single vineyard selection parcellaire red wines range in production from 500 to nearly 1,000 cases. 2007 is a very good vintage for these selections, but 2006 has an edge. It is reminiscent of 1996 because of the wines’ freshness and acid levels, but Chapoutier’s 2006s are even more concentrated than his 1996s. Chapoutier’s four 2006 cuvees of single vineyard Hermitage are exquisite. Most of the yields were between 10 and 20 hectoliters per hectare, and the wines are extravagantly rich. The 2006 and 2007 luxury cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape Croix des Bois and Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac were reviewed in issue #179. They are all astounding wines, especially in 2007.

2006 Colgin Ix Proprietary Red Estate

A Proprietary Blend Dry Red Table wine from , Napa, North Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #180 (Dec 2008)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $400-$817

From the Pritchard Hill Vineyard, the 2006 IX Proprietary Red Estate is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. The good news is that there are 1,500 cases of this cuvee. It, too, reveals the noble sweetness of tannin, the extraordinary rich, intense mouthfeel, and sumptuous aromas of flowers, burning embers, blackberries, blueberries, spice box, and cedar. With extraordinary intensity, beautiful purity, a texture and flavors that build incrementally on the palate, and a significantly long finish, this is a perfect wine. Colgin is one of the reference points for just what heights mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux varietals, and more recently, Syrah, can achieve in Napa Valley. This beautiful estate and winery overlooking Lake Hennessey is owned by Joe Wender and his wife, Ann Colgin (equally renowned for her auctioneering skills), who are assisted by David Abreu, the well-known Bordeaux wine consultant, Dr. Alain Raynaud, and Allison Tauziet, who has skillfully replaced the brilliant Mark Aubert. As the scores and tasting notes suggest, this was an exceptional tasting. Colgin’s 2006s are among the finest wines produced in the vintage.

2006 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky

A Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Table wine from Oakville , Napa, North Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #180 (Dec 2008)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $100-$200

The flagship wine, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Old Sparky, is another remarkable effort, offering up smoky blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with notions of bouquet garni, roasted meats, creosote, and cedar. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac from a very ripe, extravagantly rich vintage, this wine looks set to enjoy 25-30 or more years of longevity, as do all of these compelling Cabernets. As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound. Given the fact that these wines seem to put on weight once they are in bottle, the 2007s may eclipse the extraordinary 2006s produced by Carol and Fred Schrader, and their brilliant winemaker, Thomas Brown. Total production of these cuvees is just over 1,500 cases, with the average for each offering 200-250 cases. Readers should keep in mind that all of these wines are aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months, bottled with no clarification, and possess alcohols ranging from 14.5% to 14.9%. This was one of the most exciting tastings I have done in 2008!

2006 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Ccs

A Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Table wine from Oakville , Napa, North Coast, California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #180 (Dec 2008)

Rating: 100

Drink -

Cost: $495-$799

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon CCS is utter perfection in Cabernet Sauvignon. Extraordinary power, fruit depth, and perfume (not dissimilar from its siblings’) as well as a seamlessness, monumental richness, and a staggering finish are the stuff of legends. Again, the dominant characteristics are creme de cassis, graphite, espresso, blackberries, chocolate, and subtle background new oak. As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound. Given the fact that these wines seem to put on weight once they are in bottle, the 2007s may eclipse the extraordinary 2006s produced by Carol and Fred Schrader, and their brilliant winemaker, Thomas Brown. Total production of these cuvees is just over 1,500 cases, with the average for each offering 200-250 cases. Readers should keep in mind that all of these wines are aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months, bottled with no clarification, and possess alcohols ranging from 14.5% to 14.9%. This was one of the most exciting tastings I have done in 2008!

2006 Sine Qua Non A Shot In The Dark (Syrah)

A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from California, USA,

Review by Robert Parker

WA # , #190 (Aug 2010)

Rating: 100

Drink 2010 - 2025

Cost: $200

The soon-to-be-released 2006 A Shot in the Dark is composed of 96.5% Syrah and 3.5% Viognier from the 11 Confessions Vineyard in the cool Santa Rita Hills. Performing better from bottle than it did from barrel, this prodigious red exhibits incredibly velvety tannins, a seamless style, and no noticeable oak (which is remarkable given the fact it spent 32 months in barrel). Dense purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of blueberry pie, blackberries, soy, Asian spices, and hints of forest floor and charcoal, this is a complex, rich, seamless, well-balanced tour de force in winemaking. A full-bodied, exuberant, unabashedly California Syrah, it will offer stunning drinking over the next 10-15+ years. After three decades of tasting wines from nearly all the world's greatest winemakers, many on an annual basis, have I fully understood what motivates them? For some it may be insecurity, for some others an overwhelming competitiveness, while for others it may be a ferocious fury focused on a single goal. Manfred Krankl and his charming wife, Elaine, are well-known to me. I have been visiting Sine Qua Non for over 15 years. This is a Horatio Alger tale of an immigrant (in this case, from Austria) who arrived with only a backpack to his name, and who in a few short years opened the finest artisanal bakery in Los Angeles ( La Brea Bakery) as well as one of the area's pioneering Mediterranean-styled restaurants (Campania - still flourishing today). However, Krankl's fame rests on the strength of his wines - compelling, singular, and world-class wines that are like no others being produced on Planet Earth. Is it his insecurity, his zealous competitiveness, a raging fire in his psyche, or merely a deep passion that suffers no fools or compromises? I suspect that even Krankl, in his most private moments, is unable to articulate what drives him to produce such magnificent vinous works of art. Some things at Sine Qua Non are etched in stone. First and foremost, Krankl works as hard in the vineyard as anybody. For example, a lot of wine producers talk yields, etc., but very few actually practice as small of yields as Krankl does. In 2007, his white wine yields were 1.28 tons of fruit per acre. His Grenache yields were 1.3 tons of fruit per acre, and his Syrah was 1.52 tons per acre. In 2008, he had a bumper crop by his standards, with white wine yields coming in at 1.74 tons of fruit per acre, Grenache at 1.66 tons, and Syrah at 1.70 tons per acre. There is a lot of phony baloney talk in the wine trade that low yields are not all they-re cracked up to be, but talk to any top winemaker, look at any great wine; the unavoidable conclusion is (1) most are produced only from top sites, (2) nearly all of them are meticulously cultivated and looked after, and (3) yields are consistently low! Krankl's wines would never have the flavor or nuances they do if yields were two or three times higher. In any event, this was probably my last visit to his -Mad Max- junkyard dog sort of winery in one of the ugliest sections of Ventura. That will all change as his new winery on his estate property just south of Ojai, becomes a reality. I have mixed emotions about that as his old warehouse has become hallowed Rhone Ranger ground for me. Nearly a decade ago, Krankl began to offer both a Grenache and Syrah that saw extended barrel aging. I believe he was the first Central Coast producer to institute that practice, and the success of this technique, practiced by Marcel Guigal since 1976, has been emulated by Justin Smith at Saxum and John Alban at Alban Vineyards.