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Brian Pasch Expert Wine Reviews

What's New

• 11-24-2008 -1991 Philip Togni Cabernet
• 11-20-2008 - 2005 Buccella Merlot
• 11-03-2008 - Marie Belle Chocolates in New York City
• 11-01-2008 - Economic Crisis Affect Wine Collectors
• 10-15-2008 - Recent Upheavals in Montalcino
• 08-13-2008 - Montalcino Wine Tasting Results
• 08-15-2008 - Unclaimed Property Search in NJ
• 08-13-2008 - Montalcino Wine Tasting Results
• 06-15-2008 - Restaurant Nicholas Our Top Pick
• 06-01-2008 - Mollydooker Wine Event - August 23rd
• 05-10-2008 - 2004 Dalla Valle Cabernet
• 05-05-2008 - 2005 Scarecrow Cabernet
• 05-05-2008 - 2004 Maiden Cabernet Review
• What's Old Not So New
• Archives

1991 Philip Togni Cabernet

I've been a long time fan of Philip Togni wines. Togni wines are probably the closest in a blind tasting to a French Bordeaux blend.  Recently I had the opportunity to taste a bottle of 1991 Cabernet that was direct shipped from Philip's wine cellar.  My brother Steve popped open a bottle and I was anxious to see how well this "El Nino" vintage hold up over time.

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The Economy and Wine Buying

There are many signs that we are in a significant economic slowdown.  Resturant owners are seeing a 20-30% decline in sales and a number of local places will most likely be closing by the end of the year. Landscaping company report that all "extra" projects have been put off and only basic lawn cutting is being requested. Wine auctions have cooled off and charity events have seen a big drop in attendance and giving.

Wine collectors seem to be changing their behavior as well as they consider just how much..

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Marie Belle Chocolates

If you are looking for the perfect dark chocolate to go with your next wine tasting, let me suggest Marie Belle Chocolates which are made in New York City. Their hot chocolate is also to die for so you can go wrong with trying a few things from their store.

Their 100 piece assortment box, shown on the left, has amazing design that are all created by Maribel Lieberman, the owner and creator of the brand. This exception gift box provides amazing chocolate and 00 pieces of art

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2003 Merus Cabernet  - Revisiting an Old Friend

It's been a at least a year since I have tasted a Merus Cabernet and I was reminded why I liked their wines so much.  The first test is to see if you can handle the heavyweight glass bottle.

 Once you pass that test, its sheer enjoyment.  The 2003 vintage is still youthful but very satisfying in that it delivers texture, fruit and finish.  At five years old I would suggest that this wine starts to plateau in another 5 years.  If you have a few bottles, give it a taste and send me your thoughts.  (BP-94)

If you are not on the Merus winery list, sign up at: www.meruswines.com

2005 Scarecrow Cabernet

The 2005 Scarecrow Cabernet dominated a recent tasting of powerhouse California Cabernet wines and blends.  This would make the 2004 Scarecrow the third vintage in a row that "wowed" my taste buds and thus confirms that Scarecrow Winery is not a one-hit wonder.  Congratulations to winemaker Celia Masyczek and winery owner Bret Lopez for keeping the project on track and tantalizing in the glass.

The tasting was held at my home along with some other new releases that included:

• 2004 Dalla Valle Napa Cabernet
• 2004 "Casa Dalla Valle" Napa Cabernet
• 2004 Harlan "Maiden" Cabernet
• 2004 Eagles Trace "Latitude 38" Estate Cabernet
• 2000 Dalla Valle Cabernet

You can check out all the results by reading this article:   2005 Scarecrow Cabernet Review.

2005 Ghostblock Cabernet

The 2005 Ghostblock arrived in April and I have now tasted the wine on two separate occasions.  If you have been an active reader of this website, you know that the 2004 vintage was a rising star.  The Ghostblock Cabernet is part of the co-op project at "Cult Wine Central" in the Napa valley.

So, let's take a look at the new 2005 vintage and see how this vintage stacks up against the 2004 vintage. Read the wine review of the   2005 Ghostblock Cabernet Review.

2005 Meander Cellars Cabernet

The good news is I'm not losing my mind.  The 2005 Meander Cellars Cabernet just arrived and it has restored my faith in the 2005 California Cabernet vintage.  Amy Aiken, winemaker at Meander Cellars, has scored two back to back winners. 

With only 500 case available, this wine will be in short supply, so take a minute and meander over and read the review.  2005 Meander Cabernet Review.

2005 Maybach Cabernet

This past week I had the privilege of going to the historic National Arts Club in Manhattan to attend a private Maybach Materium wine tasting.   Two other wineries were at the tasting but the Maybach was the star of the show.

Chris Maybach was in town sharing the newly released 2005 Maybach Materium as well as a stunning barrel sample of the 2006 Materium. If the 2006 barrel sample is any indicated of the upcoming 2006 vintage in California, good times will be coming for Cabernet lovers.  Read the 2005 Maybach Materium Review

2004 Sage Vineyards Cabernet

 Since my return from Napa I have been very busy tasting new wine that I brought back from the trip as well as new wines that have been arriving from mailing list allocations.  The highlight of the past few weeks has been the 2004 Sage Cabernet which is the first time I have tasted this producer. 

The 2004 vintage is their first release and the buzz on the streets is that the upcoming 2005 is even better.  This wine was so smooth and balanced that I had to find out why this wine was so spectacular.  Read my full review on this rising star from Mount Veeder.  2004 Sage Cabernet Review

2005 Buccella Cabernet

One of the top five new wines from the 2004 vintage was the 2004 Buccella Cabernet which I rated 98 points.  I tasted the 2005 Buccella about the same time as I did last year and the first impressions were not the same.   I have tasted many wines from the 2005 vintage and many have been fantastic. 

Something is just not right here and after 24 hours of aeration, I'm still convinced the fruit has a sharp edge that may not resolve over time.  Read my full review of the 2005 Buccella Cabernet.

April Wine Tastings Start Off Strong

April is here and great wines are arriving to taste as well as some that have been in the cellar gaining some age.  This shot shows a partial glimpse of upcoming wines to be reviewed including the 2005 Schrader Beckstoffer "To Kalon" Cabernet and the 2004 Poker Face Syrah from Sine Qua Non.   Can you see the 2000 Hat trick in the background? 

Front left is the 2005 Buccella and the review has just been posted. Lot's of good reviews are in the pipeline so make sure you signup for our free newsletter using the box on the right.

Best of Napa Valley Tour 2008

In February I took a trip out to Napa and I was blessed with a long list of new winery introductions. I tasted dozens of wines on the trip but have narrowed down a short list that should be added to your cellar. If you want to get the jump while some of these wines are on the market, take time to read these reviews.

In recent months I have provided the inside scoop on Scarecrow, Buccella, Maybach, Keever, Bridesmaid, Stewart, Ghostblock, Pharaoh Moans, Meander, Corra and MX Wines. Many wineries have since been "discovered" by the press and their mailing lists are closed.

On this trip my Top 10 Wines To Buy  are a combination of newcomers and some well known Napa estates. I suggest that you follow the links below to read the story and then signup using our special VIP mailing list introduction forms. You snooze you lose. This trip uncovered some amazing gems and here are some of the standouts:

Hall Winery - Two Wines in the Top 10 List

Many readers may have tasted Hall wines in the past but I bet that most have never tasted their Artisanal Series wines. I never had the chance to taste through their very best, small production wines. I am so glad that the Hall's opened up your winery for a special dinner and tour. Readers should take note that the Hall Artisanal wines are some of the very best I have tasted in recent years. Click to read the Hall Winery review.

Modus Operandi - Scores 99 Points with 2006 Antithesis

Jason Moore, one of the most energetic young winemakers I have ever met experimented with some 2006 juice and scored a homerun. Only a handful of wines have been rated 99 points in my newsletter in the past 6 years. The 2006 Antithesis was a blockbuster surprise and only available in very small allocations. Jason's 2004 Modus Operandi Cabernet and the 2006 Antithesis made the Top 10 List. Click to read the Modus Operandi review

Anomaly Winery Focused On Quality Not Quantity

Meeting Steve Goldfarb at his St. Helena winery was a treat and yielded a great new wine for my cellar. The 2004 Anomaly Cabernet was a perfectly balanced Cabernet that made a strong case to enjoy immediately as well as convince me that it had years of great development to come. With under 1,000 cases produced each year and a very active mailing list, readers should read the article and see how you can get on the list before it closes. Click to read the Anomaly Wine Review

Want to know all of the wines in the Top Ten report?

You can request the Top Ten Wines to Buy report from my Napa Valley trip by signing up for our mailing list.  If you are already on my list, enter your email address below and click "Go" to update your subscription preferences. You'll get a link to update your profile via email. Place a check next to the Top Ten Report box and we'll email you a copy ...

2004 Stewart Cabernet

The newly released 2004 Stewart Cabernet from Napa Valley is the third great vintage in a row that I have tasted from this up and coming winery. At a recent party the 2003 Stewart was the hit of the night, followed closely by the 2004. If you are looking for a wine to enjoy today and that will also age gracefully, this is a candidate to add to your collection.

The wine retails for $62 per bottle and I rate the wine 95/100 points and I expect that score to rise as the wine matures and fully evolves. The winemaker is Paul Hobbs so you can understand why the Stewart project has had such great success. (Read entire review)

Angus & Arlye Beckstoffer Cabernet

I kicked off the new year with a great new wine from MX Wines in California. Readers will remember this name from last year when I featured an article and Margaux Singleton and her project called MX Wines.

In her second year of releases came this amazing bottle of 2005 Beckstoffer To-Kalon Cabernet that I enjoy with longtime friend Don Asay.

The wine is packaged in heavy glass with a silk screened label making it very attractive to the eye. However, the magic is all in the glass.

I don't remember a young Cabernet tasting this balanced and elegant. It is not made in the over extracted California style rather it would seem almost Burgundian. The lighter Cabernet coloring masks the power in the mouth. This is truly a great wine and in very limited supply. I only get a 3 bottle allocation and I recommend that you go the the MX Wines website and get on their mailing lists.

I rate this wine 97/100 points and I can't wait to see how this wine evolves over the next 7-10 years.

Serve Up Some Justice

I am continually on the lookup for new wines to experience and when I saw an offering of Justice made from the Beckstoffer vineyards in the Napa Valley, I took a closer look. This handsome three bottle set includes:

• 2004 Blind Justice
• 2004 Frontier Justice
• 2004 Poetic Justice

The wine is distributed through Bounty Hunter Wine & Provisions Co. located in Napa California. The entire packaging and labeled are very well done and the wines would be a great gift for an attorney. Since Justice, at times, seems rarely served, pickup a three pack and make sure that Justice is served in your home this holiday season. If you are the type that likes Justice without media attention, then maybe Poetic Justice is just the right measure.

Read more on the 2004 Justice Cabernet.

Undici Restaurant Rumson NJ

I finally had the opportunity to eat at Undici Restaurant in Rumson on November 18, 2007 and I can confirm most of the feedback that I have been hearing on the street about this new Two Rivers Area eatery.

The restaurant interior is very cool; Italian chic with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The investment in the renovations to the former "Hook Line & Sinker Restaurant" property must be in the millions of dollars.

The most common thread of conversation that my circle of contacts has been discussing is not the quality of food or the atmosphere, but how expensive their dinner totaled up at the end of their meal.

Read my updated Review of Undici Restaurant

Mollydooker Velvet Glove 99 points

The latest issue of The Wine Advocate was released on October 31, 2007 and wow did they love the 2006 Mollydooker Wines. Check out the top scoring wines:

• Velvet Glove - 99 points
• Carnival of Love - 97 points
• Blue Eyed Boy - 96 points
• Gigglepot Cabernet - 95 points
• Enchanted Path - 94 points
• Boxer Shiraz - 94 points

To read the official Mollydooker Press Release and their Fall promotional offer, click here.

Remember we hosted the 2006 Mollydooker wine tasting at Cask 591. It was a blast and everyone loved the Velvet Glove. Now fast forward a few months and the scores validate what our group experienced at Cask 591.

Congratulations to Sarah and Sparky Marquis, who are creating a great buzz in the Australian wine industry. If you have not purchased your 2006 Mollydooker wines, you can visit their winery direct website at:

www.mollydookerwines.com

If you want to taste the Velvet Glove Shiraz, you should invite me over for dinner. If you want to buy wines today, keep in mind that some of the wines may be sold out so make sure you get on their mailing list for priority allocations next year. Read more on the Velvet Glove Shiraz.

Napa Valley Wine Adventures

I recently had the pleasure to meet us with Celia Masyczek in Napa at her winemaking facility to taste some of her upcoming releases.

If you don't already recognize the name, Celia is the winemaker that made two of my top 10 wines from California last year; Scarecrow and Keever Vineyards.

There is so many things to write about on this trip, but that will come in a few days. The reason I had to make a short note here on the home page is that Celia is coming out with her own wine this Fall. Readers of my newsletter are getting the first opportunity to get on her mailing list.

The new project is called Corra Winery and the website is www.corrawines.com where you get place your name on her mailing list. I encourage all my readers to get your name on her list before it is closed for new additions. Celia's winemaking skills and passion are bound to make this wine an up and coming star in Napa.

Keever Vineyards - Snooze You Lose

In April 2007 I wrote about the Keever Vineyards project that came on my radar screen with their stunning 2004 Keever Napa Cabernet. It was great new find in 2007. So, on this trip I just had to stop in to meet with Keever Family and find out more about their wines.

So, winemaker Celia Masyczek took me over to have lunch with the Keever family on their terrace, overlooking their vineyards. Pictured above are Jason Keever (left), Olga Keever (center), Celia Masyczek (right) . The vineyards in the background are part of the Keever estate.

There is a full report coming from this visit but I have to encourage all my readers to get their pre-order of the 2005 Keever Vineyards Cabernet immediately. I tasted the wine and it was fantastic but Olga advised me that supplies are very limited.

The 2004 sold out early so the wine tasting room is starting to sample the 2005 vintage. This means shorter supply to mailing list members, so get on their site and order a six-pack of the 2005 Cabernet. Learn more about the 2005 vintage.

2006 Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Wine Spectator pre-released the scores for their upcoming September 22nd issue and Mollydooker 2006 Carnival of Love was awarded 95 points.

My readers had advance notice of the 2006 COL and many have attended the Mollydooker 2006 wine tasting here in Long Branch. The 2006 Carnival of Love was stunning that evening and now the reviews are starting to come in for the 2006 vintage.

At the end of August, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate newsletter will be coming out and we hope that the Mollydooker "party series" wines that retail at $20 per bottle will be covered.

For additional information on the 2006 Carnival of Love review, click through the hyperlink.

Unique Wine Stoppers

If you are looking for unique gifts for the wine lover in your life or to bring a smile to guests, visit Margo Sauder's website for great wine stopper designs.

To place an order, call  732-671-6318 and tell her that you saw her products featured on www.brianpasch.com

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