*** Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend, 2004, Lodi, CA

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, blend, cabernet sauvignon, merlotJul 5th, 2010 | No Comments Original Review, November, 2008: The 2004 Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend (B4) is a mix of 2004 cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes from Lodi, CA. In the glass, it is medium/deep red, showing purple and brick at the edges.

Aroma is strong, fruity and oaky. Robust and simple - think pizza wine aromas. On the palate, there is a bit of an old-world style; it hits to the back of the mouth, with a bit of smoke and tannin. Not much fruit up front, in contrast with the aroma. The bit of gritty tannin is unexpected, but nice. It allows for a rolling, lengthy finish, where the fruit finally arrives with a bit of shy wave: "Here I am, after all..." it says.

Three stars out of five on the Spirit of Wine scale.

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Blend: I added 40% 2005 Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon to create a rounder middle. Stong blend! The Woodbridge added a middle; the Bordeaux Blend gave the front and back. Nose picks up some licorice and cherry.  Fruiter middle, but still a good pounce at the tail.
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Updated Review, a year and a half later, July, 2010, now six years from vintage date (that is the date of photo):  Mid red now in the glass, brick at edges.  Still pizza-wine aromas in the Lodi grape Bordeaux-style blend.  It is lighter now.  The palate shows a balanced, dry, mid-red style - fairly shy on fruit, with some mineral and acids lacing an older-world dryness.  Solid for food, though I do not believe this has grown more attractive with time.  Believe it would complement a round wine in a blend - similar to what I described above with the Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon.

Actually, right now I'm mixing up a few blends of 2/3 Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend 2004 (B4) with 1/3 Chez Ray Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (WC) and calling it Chez Ray Bordeaux Blend 2004 (BB4).

** Chez Ray Cabernet Franc, 2004, Lodi, CA

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, cabernet francJun 8th, 2010 | No Comments Original Review, January, 2009: The Chez Ray Cabernet Franc, 2004, was made from Lodi grapes, fermented warm, with a combination of French and American oak.

In the glass, the cab franc is a light ruby, slightly brick red/pink. Think pinot noir with a couple of years.

Aromas have a strong cork/woody element, which I recognize from a particular brand of agglomerated cork I used for some bottles in these vintages. Once you sniff past that, you get to a bright, light fruit.

On the palate, a bright, even middle of red cherry trickles down the sides of your mouth carried in light acids. The woody/cork taint hangs its tattered cloth over the otherwise light, sweet, acidic blend. Two stars out of five on the Spirit of Wine scale. Might be a plus in there with a different cork. Can't see it hitting three stars though - the stuffing just doesn't seem to be there in the underlying fruit.
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Updated review, almost a year and a half later, June, 2010: muddy mid red in the glass.  Still that agglomerated cork aroma, with fruit.  Bright red cherry, light wood, light cork.  I'll hold at two stars. 

Review and Rating: ***+ Chez Ray Sangiovese, 2004, Lodi, CA

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, sangioveseMay 1st, 2010 | No Comments Original Review, May, 2008: The Chez Ray Sangiovese, 2004 (G4), was made from Lodi grapes, fermented warm, with a combination of French and American oak. In the glass, it shows as a dark blood red in color.

The nose hits as a deep, funky vegetable-fruit combo.

The sip outshines the nose, however. There is a strong oaky start on the the palate, but this quickly resolves to a furry, intense cherry fruit. The "fur" is a tough tannic backbone still in place, signifying that this can sit for a few more years in bottle. Medium-length finish. Three stars out of five with a plus for intensity and promise for a longer-lived future.

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Updated Review, about a year and a half later, January, 2009: Color and nose have lightened just a bit. The palate comes to the middle with a clean, round red cherry. I don't notice the tannic backbone any longer, suggesting the Sangiovese may be coming of age. Also the intensity has faded. Now, an even, bright, mid-weight red. In effect, a pinot-noir alternative. I'd drop it back a touch to three stars without the plus at this point.

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Updated Review, about a year later, May, 2010:  Now a hint of brick showing at the rim.  Aroma and flavors consistent with earlier review.  A balanced, dry red of medium weight, with a touch of minerality and dust.  Still nice. Photo from this tasting.

*** Chez Ray Zinfandel, 2004, Lodi, CA – Wine Review

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, lodi, zinfandelOct 28th, 2009 | No Comments By way of background: The Chez Ray Zinfandel, 2004, was made from Lodi grapes, fermented warm, with a combination of French and American oak.

In the glass: Medium to deep red.

On the nose: Fruity, lightly smoky, wet red cherry.

On the palate: Smooth, red fruit in the middle of your mouth. Like a gob of blackberry that has all the tartness removed. Kinda nice in that respect. Balance of the flavors include a general even sweetness, tiny bits of acids crawl up into your cheeks.

And the finish: Sweet acids slowly fade away, and with them any hints of fruit.

In summary: Pleasant, though not intense nor distinctive. Less intensity andfriendliness than I'd expect from a zinfandel. Still, three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale, as I would return to this another time. Could be a nice blender with something offering a bit more structure.

** Chez Ray Pinot Noir (P4), 2004, Lodi, CA

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, Pinot NoirOct 20th, 2009 | No Comments By way of background: The Chez Ray Pinot Noir, 2004, was made from Lodi grapes, fermented warm, with a combination of French and American oak.

In the glass: Deep pink-red with a brickish cast.

On the nose: Overcooked, almost baked, red berry fruits. A bit of motor oil with the overcooked stew. Nothing to write home about (except maybe to say, "Get me outa here!").

On the palate: Far more presentable on the palate. Sweet red fruits on the mid-palate, not cloying, but fresh. Just a touch of vegetable in there too. Firm, lightly acid, sweet and still rich, a touch of tannin move in after the acids subside.

And the finish: Rests with the acids, then moves to a bit of grip with the tannins.

In summary: I may have overstayed the storage with this one, feels overripe. Two stars, because I can't see hurrying back. Kind of jangled overall. Pinot's a tough wine to get right - my 2004 vintage seems not to have done the trick.

Rating: ***+ 2004 Chez Ray Cabernet Sauvignon (CS4, C4, C’4), Lodi, CA

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, cabernet sauvignonJun 14th, 2009 | No Comments Original review, September, 2007:
In this glass, this is ruby red, the color of a medium feminine pinot noir, not a burly cabernet sauvignon. Aroma is powerful, though, of bright aged ripe fruit and oak. On the palate, bright sweet cherry cola flavors encircle the taste buds with a hint of acid, following with a mild, lasting sweet cherry finish. Not classic cabernet, but a friendly, just off-dry wine giving great pleasure.
Three plus stars out of five.

Updated review, June, 2009: Similar color, now beginning to brick. Aroma is a bit more spongy and sweet now. Sip brings more muted flavors now, round, still with elements of cola, evenly touching palate with only hints of acid. Clean, cherry finish, lightly sweet.

***+ Chez Ray Petite Sirah (PS4), 2004, Lodi, CA – Review and Rating

Posted by Ben in 2004, General, Other, petite sirahMar 6th, 2009 | No Comments Review: The 2004 Chez Ray Petit Sirah comes from Lodi, CA, fresh grapes. In the glass, it is a deep red, almost opaque in the middle, moving to medium red at the edges. Quite unusual for such color after a few years in the bottle.

Aroma is oddly piquant, bringing your nose into what seems like a massive explosion at a perfume factory housed in a barnyard. Weird stuff indeed. The perfume is flowery and violet, but like you're actually inside the flower, not smelling its aroma.

On the palate, this is a rounder, richer, gentler version of the aromas, rolling and gliding along your tongue. Few acids; fewer tannins. But the pure concentration causes this to linger.

I want to try it again, so that is three stars on the Spirit of Wine scale. A plus is added for its exquisite oddity.