Prestige trade tasting highlights part I

Yesterday I was able to attend the trade tasting for Prestige Wine Wholesale. Here is part one of the best wines I was able to sample. I have notes next to 29 of them, which is about par for the course over a two hour time period for me. Yes, I’m slow.

Lanson – Who doesn’t want to start out with some bubbles, especially when they come from the holy land itself, Champagne. I’ve always enjoyed their Black Label NV Brut (around $55 retail) and yesterday was no different. Lanson is one of the few houses that doesn’t allow the wines to go through a malolactic fermentation. For those unfamiliar with the term, malolactic fermentation converts naturally occurring malic acid (tart) into lactic acid (smoother). Preventing this typical step in the wine making process keeps the wine vibrant and zingy, which I really enjoy. This bottling was a bit toasty and filled with citrus notes. Bring on the fried chicken!

I also tried their Pink Label NV Brut Rosé (around $68 retail), which tasted pretty much as you’d expect, like the Black label with some red cherry and cranberry mixed in. I was told they remove 3% of the Chardonnay from the blend and replace it with still Pinot Noir. I’d have this with a big bowl of strawberries.

Miner – From the first time I tasted their Cabernet (I think it was a 2002 or 2003), I’ve had an affinity for their wines. While they aren’t in the usual price point I’m relegated to buying within, they never disappoint and are a solid bet for high quality wine, no matter the vintage or varietal. Their Viognier is actually a fairly decent bargain and should run just under $20. These three were my favorites of the lot, which was solid across the board:

• 2007 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: Candied red cherry, plum and nutmeg, with a bright and jazzy texture on the palate. It was so juicy and sweet, you’d swear there was going to be some residual sugar, but it finishes tangy and dry. This was stunningly delicious, but you will have to fork over around $60 to obtain it. 493 cases produced. This was my wine of the day.
• 2007 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir: Richer and denser on the palate, with better structure than the Rosella’s. I loved the caramel and spice notes from the oak, with great black cherry and currant flavors. I like this better for the long haul, but would choose the Rosella’s for drinking in the near term. Both of these were awesome.
• 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon: I had the 2005 this past Saturday at a Whole Foods tasting and enjoyed it a bit more than the 2006. The 2006 is just a little gruff right now and didn’t display the chocolaty goodness I remember from the 2005. I’d lay this down until 2011 or 2012 before enjoying. Will set you back around $60 or so. Not a bad price for Oakville Cab.

To wrap up today’s post, I’ll finish off with one of the better values coming down the pipe. That would be the 2008 Ramspeck Napa Valley Pinot Noir. They had a sample of this and while it isn’t in market yet, it was surprisingly good for the money. You should be able to find it in the 2007 version (review coming soon as I drink it) for around $18 right now. The 2008 was bright, fresh and savory. It had a nice herbal tone to the red cherry fruit that would make this a great match with my herb crusted pork chops.