***+ Chez Ray Merlot, 2003, Yakima Valley, WA

Posted by Ben in 2003, General, Other, merlotMar 2nd, 2010 | No Comments

Original Review, October, 2008: This 2003 Chez Ray Merlot is made from frozen grapes from Brehm Vineyards, fermented warm with Pasteur Red yeast, pressed at dryness.

Medium dusty red in the glass. No bricking yet, despite five years of age. Aromas are medium/shy, deep and ruddy. Only a hint of oak and deep fruit.

On the palate, you note a full, deep middle - somewhat inky - with even tannins coating the rest of your mouth. Finish is balanced, moderately long, fairly classic.

Three stars with a plus for classical beauty, using the Spirit of Wine scale.

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Updated Review, February, 2010:  Color, aromas and body have held very well during the past couple of years.  Now, furry and round on the finish.  Heading toward four stars. 

Review and Rating: **** Chez Ray M5 Las Brisas Merlot, 2005, Carneros, Sonoma County CA

Posted by Ben in 2005, General, Other, merlotJan 3rd, 2010 | No Comments Original Review, July, 2008: This is a newer vintage Chez Ray wine, vinted from Brehm frozen grapes from Sonoma county. This pure-breed merlot was first sampled here and its making was described here.

Let's see what it brings to the table: In the glass, it is a deep magenta with dark purple tinged highlights. The aromas is beefy, sweet, fruity, oaky, chocolate and slightly dark - a nice combo! On the palate, the first note is an extracted, lightly acidic plum, pushed along by the deeper cocoa notes. Finish seems to fade, but comes back on a substantive rebound. I do believe this could use another 2 years of age; still, I would stay with it for an entire tasting - thus four stars out of five.

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Updated review, February, 2009: Now medium dusty red in the glass. Beguiling aroma has the same characteristics as above. On the palate, a sweet, full, just-slightly-tangy front, laden with full fruit and sizable tannin blast. Wow, extracted, lengthy finish, bringing back chocolate cherries. Outstanding. Still good for time in the bottle. Showing its stuff very well. Still four stars.

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Updated review, January, 2010: Now just about three years from bottling.  Comparable color.  Now thick beef blood comes through first and brilliantly on the nose.  Awesome.  The palate shows a more viscous start, thick chocolate-coated ripe plums.  Tannins and acids move to the cheeks for a long close.  Excellent, and yet still evolving.

Comparing pressed-dry with extended maceration wines

Posted by Ben in 2008, General, Other, extended maceration, merlot, pressing, zinfandelNov 8th, 2009 | No Comments For the 2008 Chez Ray vintage, I tried an experiment, separating the vintage into two batches: one batch pressed dry (ie, immediately as fermentation completed); and the second batch pressed after extended maceration.

Today, I have some recently bottled sample batches of 2008 merlot and zinfandel to compare between these two pressing techniques.

Let's start with the Chez Ray Merlot, 2008:

Pressed dry: The pressed dry merlot shows medium dusty red in the glass. Aromas are bright, bold, plumy and yeasty. A strong inky, alcoholic component. On the palate, a bright but bold mid palate impact, showing very ripe plums and some blackberry. Finishes clean.

Extended maceration: The merlot which underwent extended maceration shows similar in the glass, a touch less purple. Aromas seem to show a somewhat riper, spongy plum element. On the palate, the impact is round, full and soft and ripe in the back of the tongue. Seems more aged already, with less definitive fruit. The finish curls with a bit of acid. Slightly inferior to the pressed dry version.

Now let's try the Chez Ray Zinfandel, 2008:

Pressed dry: The pressed dry zinfandel shows medium cherry red in the glass. Upon swirling, aromas are tangy, metallic and almost citrus. On the palate, a spicy fruit touches the front of the mouth first, slowly unfolding back, sweeter and sweeter as it moves back along your tongue. The finish is moderate and clean.

Extended maceration: The zinfandel which underwent extended maceration shows a similar color - possibly just a touch more faded. Aromas show a similar note, a touch less tangy and bright. The palate is even, full and flush from the start, beginning at the middle of your tongue and spreading out. Perhaps even some chocolate elements as it spreads. Slick, clean finish. Improved over the pressed dry version.

Overall observations: My expectations were that the extended maceration might cause each of the wines to lose some "edge" and distinctiveness. It is probably true that the "edge" has been slightly muted in both. However, with the zinfandel, the extended maceration did not mute the final result. In the merlot, it caused a bit more aged "genericism" in the final product. In the zinfandel, though, it nicely knitted together some otherwise discordant elements. Perhaps that would happen with age in the pressed-dry zinfandel, perhaps not.

So my findings on extended maceration are, in the final analysis, mixed. I believe it muddied the merlot, but enhanced the zinfandel. If I was forced to operate one way or another on all my wines based on this one tasting, I would probably choose to press dry. That is because I believe the merlot was challenged more than the zinfandel was improved.

Too bad life is so complicated!

Suisun Valley 2009 Grapes Arrive

Posted by Ben in 2009, General, Other, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petite sirahOct 4th, 2009 | No Comments Grapes for the 2009 Chez Ray vintage arrived this weekend from Lanza Family Vineyards in the Suisun Valley, just southeast of Napa Valley, CA.

Although I had plans to subject the entire 2009 vintage to Enoferm RP15 (aka VQ15, VQ-15, or RP-15) yeast, the grapes arrived before my yeast. So my yeast and grape schedule was as follows:

Lalvin ICV-D254
Lanza Merlot (ML9A)

Lalvin ICV-D80
Lanza Merlot (ML9B)

Lalvin BM45
Lanza Merlot (ML9C)

Mixed: Lalvin D254, D80, BM45
Lanza Cabernet Sauvignon (Rock Vineyards) (CL9)
Lanza Cabernet Sauvignon (Koch Vineyards) (CK9)
Lanza Petite Syrah (PSL9)

I used Go-Ferm to reconstitute yeast, and built an approx half-gallon starter by adding crushed grapes during the course of a day. I'll get the ferment going at room temperature, then move to a cooler basement ferment after a couple of days. Basement fermentation proceeded at approximately 65 degrees F.

Blending the 2005’s: Tough Work but SOMEONE’S got to do it!

Posted by Ben in 2005, General, Other, Pinot Noir, blend, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, zinfandelJun 7th, 2009 | No Comments Further explore wine blending.

Start with eight or ten single varietals from a vintage that is getting ready to be drinkable, line 'em up and figure out the blends that may work. A hundred sips later, you may have a few workable blends.

Indeed, for the 2005's, I did manage a couple worth noting.

PM5 (Carneros Sonoma Pinot Noir(P5)/Carneros Napa Merlot 2005 (M'5)): First, the Sonoma Pinot Noir (P5) is still taut - but mixing with 1/2 measure of another bright varietal, the Carneros Napa Merlot (M'5) gives it just a bit of fruit and brightness. So this combo, which I'll code as PM5, is probably a good serving option for the 2005 Pinot Noir for the longer term. Corlor is deep ruby red. Aromatics are subtle, with a touch of red currant fruit. Bright palate, but spreading clean fruit in the middle. Still some tannins for age. Clean finish. I like this better than either of the components, so that makes for a successful blend.

B5 (Bordeaux blend 2005: State Lane Yountville Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (CS5)/Carneros Sonoma Merlot (M5)/Russian River Sonoma Cabernet Franc (F5)): Each of these wines had a similar style - ready to drink, silky, lightly aromatic. Together, they comprise an excellent blend. In the glass, very deep red, hints of brick. Aromas are solid, sweet and yielding, just a little bit leafy. On the palate, a lightly sweet, bold and balanced attack in the front - wonderful tannins, aromatic deep red fruits, outstanding lingering finish. One of the best ever from Chez Ray! Each of the components is an outstanding offering in its own right, but I loved the balance in the blend.

A5 (Aromatic blend 2005: Russian River Sonoma Zinfandel (Z5)/Rutherford Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (CR5)): Both of these wines were stand-outs as aromatically-rich, quite youthful, bright wines. The combo makes a uniquely potent, aromatic blend. Color is very deep red, almost opaque. Nose is rich, sweet and inky - black sweet ink that you want to guzzle from the fountain pen like it's a lick'em'aid stick. On the palate, a sweet, viscous, peppery assault runs across your mouth. The powerful tannins stick to the roof and sides of your mouth, bringing the rich, black nectar slowly down. Takes a minute or more to dislodge from the crevices. Awesomely lingering finish. Not for the faint of heart. Sweet steroids. Can mellow out for years to come.

Review and Rating: *** Chez Ray M’5 Los Lomas Merlot, 2005, Carneros, Napa County CA

Posted by Ben in 2005, General, Other, merlotMay 29th, 2009 | No Comments Original Review, July 2008: This is a newer vintage Chez Ray wine, vinted from Brehm frozen grapes from Napa county. This pure-breed merlot was first sampled here and its making was described here.

This is one of two Carneros merlots I made from 2005. The other one is reviewed here.

Let see what this one is like: In the glass, it is a medium magenta with purple highlights. The aroma is intriguing: "eau de helium" is how I would characterize it; actually seems like you are sniffing inside a balloon! Not a bad aroma, just odd. Let's see, here's the balloon knot, hmmmm, very smooth sides, etc...

Now let's see what the inside of a helium balloon tastes like: most of what you notice first are an onslaught of acids across the palate, this is backed by a tannin finish that further puckers after you're already puckered from the acids. My face is a sorry sight at the moment.

This definitely has structure and acids, but no fruit and no classical aroma of note. I would recommend laying down for a few years. My fingers are crossed, but I'm somewhat dubious. One star out of five on the Spirit of Wine scale, with a plus for hope for the future.

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Now a year later, late May, 2009: Mid-deep red - serious blood color. Aromas are not helium any longer - deep, serious, subdued black fruit. On the palate, a lifted acid and solid tannic core, but a solid fruit is squeezing up from out of the depths. The combination is taking on a serious, tough sweetness. Clean finish. Quite intriguing. Time will still help. Now three stars. Good promise for future.

****+ Chez Ray Suscol Ranch Merlot, 2006, Napa Valley, CA

Posted by Ben in 2006, General, Other, merlotFeb 4th, 2009 | No Comments Review: The 2006 Suscol Ranch Merlot, from Napa Valley Brehm Vineyards frozen grapes . The vintage was fermented cool, with Assmanshausen yeast.

Like the rest of the cool-fermented 2006 vintage, the wine is light red in the glass. Doesn't LOOK like merlot! Aroma is husky, balanced, touches of pepper, maybe chocolate. On the palate, extraordinary balance, even in its youth. Sweet, layered middle is the first note. That brings even touches of chocolate along with a luscious, underlying fruit. The finish is a very, very slow fade. Then, when you think it should be gone, here it comes, back again, milk chocolate as a finish.

Outstanding example of this vintage, and indeed from the entire Chez Ray line. Four stars out of five, with a plus for its continued promise. Imagine more promise on a four star rating!!