A Good Evening

Don't you just love those evenings where everyone brings a bottle or two, we open them all and turns out they're all good! No "wow" wines but a wide spectrum of flavours were on display. The best wine of the night was the first one opened, the Foley, Santa Rita Hills, Syrah, 2003 from California. A very aromatic nose (leather mixed with crushed berries) leads into a medium bodied, silky wine in a refined style. Yummy.
Next was the Kaiken, Ultra, Malbec, 2005 from Mendoza. Rich currants and cloves on the nose followed by that "je ne sais quoi" Malbec palate wrapped in a full bodied fruit jacket. Very smooth tannins. Serious stuff.
After that I amused myself by doing some head to head "taste-offs". Argentinian vs. California Cab was up next - the Finca Koch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tupungato, 2003 had a rather restrained nose, medium-full bodied, tannic, a serious style of Cab. The Justin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, 2004 was much fruitier in style both on the nose and palate. Both were equally enjoyable, but if you were sipping, choose the Justin, if you needed a food wine, then choose the Koch.
Drunk with the Filet Mignon it was the Domaine du Vieux Lazaret, Cuvee Exceptionnelle, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2003 vs. the Pocas, Coroa d'Ouro, Reserva 2000, Douro. No contest here really, the classic, full bodied Chateauneuf matched the meat best. A good meal accompaniment.
Sorry, no prices or value judgments tonight, as I don't know the retail of most of these wines.
Cheers!!