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Finally, the notes from the 5 year vertical La Fenetre extravaganza |
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Written by Josh
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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 00:00 |
La Fenêtre 5th Anniversary Library Tasting, May 13th, 2010 at Campanile
A tasting of library wines is always an undertaking, and a write-up about it is also, obviously, an undertaking because it has taken me 2 months just to find the time to get out the notes and provide an update.
What follows is a compilation of the tasting I held for around 20 people at Campanile in Los Angeles on May 13th, 2010. Some of the notes are 5 words, some are 2, some include actual tasting notes, and some impressions of the wine. The wines are listed in order tasted, and all provide a drinking window. The drinking window is subjective as we all like wine at different stages of development but rest assured that the wine will be wine (and not vinegar) even if it has started to exhibit some of the secondary characteristics that come with a little age. I would say gray hair, but the oldest wine is 6, not even old in dog years. I hope you enjoy the notes!
| Wine |
Impression |
Notes |
Age ability |
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| 2004 Timeless Palates Rose, Santa Barbara County |
WOW |
Still quite lively, closed on the nose, funky, clammy, vitaminy, spicy. |
drink now |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Rose, Santa Barbara County |
Elegant |
Brand new, toasty, strawberry, bright (not your average rose, weighty) |
Now-2015 |
| 2004 Timeless Palates Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Block Eleven |
Nutty |
Toasty, almond oil, mineral (Meursault Charmes) |
Now-2015+ |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Block Eleven |
Vibrant |
Vibrant acidity, lemon lime, balanced, hint of high toned VA, floral |
Now-2012 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Block Eleven |
Creamy |
Advanced, developed, creamy, lower acidity, full bouquet |
Now-2014 |
| 2007 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Bien Nacido |
Ripe |
Full and rich, mallowed, high acidity but balanced, bitter, limey |
Now-2014 |
| 2007 A Cote Chardonnay, Los Alamos |
Closed |
This bottle was mildly corked, mineral, honeyed, balanced |
Now-2012 |
| 2008 A Cote Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County |
Floral |
Rich, sweet, floral, ripe, minty, delicious |
Now-2014 |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Los Alamos |
Yum |
Foreword, mineral, rich, toasty, nutty, dusty |
Now-2018 |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Sierra Madre |
Lip Smacker |
Vibrant acidity, spicy, mouth watering |
Now-2015 |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Chardonnay, Bien Nacido |
Hell Yeah |
Still tanky (bottled only weeks ago), fruit driven with mineral and oak |
Now-2020 |
| 2008 'Infinity' White Blend, Central Coast |
Tasty |
Floral, Apricot, waxy, white pepper, peach |
Now-2011 |
| 2004 Timeless Palates Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard |
***** |
WOW, re-emerging from a sleepy period, delicious red fruit, soapy, cinnamon, dusty, looooooong finish |
Now-2014 |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Le Bon Climat |
Sleeping |
Exactly like the Bien Nacido was 1 yr ago, balanced, vibrant, sulfitey, mineral, chalky, hint of Strawberry, open again in a year |
2011-2015 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Calmant Creek |
Viscous |
Thick, piney, dense, syrupy. |
Now-2015 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Cargasacchi Jalama |
Burgundy? |
Very Burgundian, forward acidity, great minerality, plummy, raisiny, floral, toasty, bread-y |
Now-2014 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Le Bon Climat |
Reserved |
Tasty, lighter, creamy, floral |
Now-2015 |
| 2007 A Cote Pinot Noir, Cedar Lane |
Bright |
Apple-y and tasty, aged flavors, delicious |
Now-2014 |
| 2007 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Calmant Creek |
Perfumed |
Scented, perfumed, port like, creamy rich finish |
Now-2014 |
| 2007 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Le Bon Climat |
Baby |
Vibrant and focused. This wine will age forever! |
Now-2020+ |
| 2008 A Cote Pinot Noir, Central Coast |
Meaty |
So good right now. Balanced, rich, giving |
Now-2014 |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Los Alamos |
Tight |
Focused, ripe |
Now-2015+ |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Sierra Madre |
Yum |
Perfumed and delicious. Green Pinot nose, floral, vibrant |
Now 2016+ |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Pinot Noir, Le Bon Climat |
Massive |
Cinnamon, cherry cola, rich fruit, long finish |
Now-2020+ |
| 2004 Timeless Palates Syrah, Santa Barbara County |
Amazing |
These 04's rock. A touch of brett, but otherwise this wine is going for a long time more |
Now-2016 |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Syrah, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Great |
Sweet, Peppery, smoky, reductive, fruit driven |
Now-2015 |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Syrah Reserve, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Port? |
Peppery, restrained, dense, port like, cherry now and later |
Now-2018 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Syrah, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Vibrant |
Very Cinnamon (I think I started getting drunk here… notes got real 'short' |
Now-2015 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Syrah Reserve, Santa Barbara Highlands |
??? |
Not Balanced (bad bottle?/Sleeping?) |
??? |
| 2007 La Fenêtre Syrah, Alisos |
Cote Rôtie? |
Black olive tapenade, smoky bacon, blackberry |
Now-2016+ |
| 2007 A Cote Syrah, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Smoky |
Reductive, rich |
Now-2015+ |
| 2008 A Cote Syrah, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Smoky |
Reductive, rich (I must have been really drunk, same exact notes!!!) |
Now-2015+ |
| 2008 La Fenêtre Syrah, Alisos |
Cote Rôtie? |
This wine will rock when it emerges from shock. More berry than the 2007 |
Now-2018 |
| 2008 'Infinity' Red Blend, Central Coast |
Great |
So good and complex. If only every $10 wine was this good! |
Now-2014 |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Port? |
Port like, dense, tight, needs some air |
Now-2014 |
| 2005 La Fenêtre Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Ripe |
Sulfitey, plummy, cedar, port like |
Now-2016 |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara Highlands |
ehhh |
I am not loving this wine. Not sure what's up. You can't win 'em all. Could have been a poor bottle |
??? |
| 2006 La Fenêtre Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Santa Barbara Highlands |
tight |
Dense, high acid, eucalyptus |
Now-2014 |
| 2008 A Cote Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara Highlands |
Tasty |
I am drunk, this was good |
Now-2014 |
| 2007 A Cote Red Blend, Santa Barbara County |
Slutty |
Need I say more? |
Now-2014 |
| 2008 A Cote Red Blend, Santa Barbara County |
Corked :( |
(Though this wine has been tasted since and is quite delicious. Red fruit, though restrained. Dusty. |
Now-2014 |
| 2006 Tête Brûlée Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder |
Classic Napa |
This wine is showing beautifully. Tête will never be release at 30 months again. It is so good at 3+ years. Layered, complex and delicious. |
Now-2020+ |
| 2007 Tête Brûlée Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder |
Soo good |
Not yet released. Not even labeled, but tasty! |
2011-2020+ | |
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The Chardonnay Symposium in Santa Maria |
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Written by Josh
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Friday, 09 July 2010 17:46 |
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The Chardonnay Symposium is a celebration of the country’s most popular varietal: Chardonnay. The full day of events will take place on Saturday, July 31st in the Santa Maria Valley. Full-day tickets are $100 in advance only and include transportation to and from Santa Maria, a choice of one morning session at Bien Nacido Vineyards or Cambria Winery, a wine tasting luncheon at Byron Winery, a Riedel wine glass, and admission to the Grand Chardonnay Tasting at Tres Hermanas Vineyards. Our panel of Chardonnay experts includes a star-studded lineup of winemakers representing the key Chardonnay growing regions in California. Wineries represented on the panels include Alma Rosa, Au Bon Climat, Bien Nacido Vineyards, Talley, Riverbench, Pisoni and many more. The Grand Tasting will feature forty wineries pouring a variety of Chardonnays along with small bites from local restaurants. An additional number of Grand Tasting tickets will be sold separately in advance for $45. Please visit www.thechardonnaysymposium.com for more information or to purchase tickets. Tickets are limited so buy yours today! |
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Written by Joshua Klapper
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Monday, 24 May 2010 00:00 |
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La Fenêtre will be returning to the Santa Rita Hills with the 2010 vintage! 2007 was the last time we made a wine from this cool climate part of Santa Barbara from the Calmant Creek vineyard. Our hiatus was partly because we lost that fruit source and couldn't find a suitable replacement but now we have! We will be producing Pinot Noir from the Salsipuedes vineyard, in the far southwest corner of the AVA where cool air and high winds make for tiny yields and small concentrated berries... We will also be making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Rita's Crown, a new planting just up the road from Mt. Carmel and a stone's throw from Sea Smoke. Mt. Carmel is known now for its Pinots and Chards made by Brewer-Clifton, and some of the best Chardonnay's ever made in California by my mentor and friend Jim Clendenen in his late 90's and early 2000s bottlings from the site... truly a revelation. I can't wait for harvest!
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Written by Joshua Klapper
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Monday, 19 April 2010 00:00 |
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Have you ever wanted to be part of the wine making process but didn't know how? This year, I want to bring you in with a program I have dubbed 'Adopt-A-Barrel'. With the price and need for new barrels going up and the 'cash crunch' we are experiencing I have decided to make available the option for you to adopt your very own barrel of La Fenêtre .
The premise is simple... You pay for a new barrel ($1000) and then you get some perks attached to that new barrel. Some of those perks include:
- 2 cases per adopted barrel (a $1000+ value)
- Personalize your barrel (magic markers, paint, etc.)
- A personal thank you with your name/s on the La Fenêtre website and on the label of adopted wine itself if you adopt all of the barrels for a particular wine (typically 2 barrels)
- An invitation to an exclusive 'I adopted a barrel dinner' during the 2010 harvest
- The opportunity to be an investor in a great brand and one of a select few who can say they had a hand in making really good, miniscule production, wine in 2010!
I am purchasing only 20 New Barrels in 2010, so please get in touch with me asap by email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call me at 310-977-5615 if you would like to be part of the 2010 vintage! Call early if you would like your choice of varietal/vineyard designate as there are a limited number of spots per vineyard/varietal.
Cheers,
Joshua Klapper
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