2005 Five Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon and a Nobel Prize in Economics

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Last week, TWC was fortunate enough to spend the better part of a quintessential So Cal spring evening at a great party, er, reception welcoming Nobel Prize winner Vernon Smith to his new post at Chapman University. Got to catch up with friends I hadn't seen for a while, including that other French Chick (and her editor hubby).

I'd been to Rodger Cosgrove's waterfront house once before, which dates to Gatsby and is just flat gorgeous, so this time I brought the camera. Without the card. Duh.

The Five Rivers Cab they served is surprisingly well done, yet another decently priced wine from Paso Robles that blows the doors off of some of the better wines from, ah, elsewhere. Like this one, and it's 2005 incarnation, priced at $23.99 US. Five Rivers? Around ten bucks.

Hot Tip: Do not visit the winery website if you've ingested any hallucinogenic substance, suffer epileptic seizures, are dyslexic, prone to flashbacks, detest psychedelic art, or are into your second bottle of wine. To be sure, the site is memorable, but, Jesus Chrysler, it's memorable in the way that the cover art from Days of Future Passed is memorable. [shrugs]

Note to Mom: Put the bar of Ivory away, I did not swear just then.

Speaking of Paso, a big shout out to my good friends at Sunset Ridge! Great Petit Sarah. I'm not just saying that neither.

Winemakers Notes:

This all Paso Robles Cab.....(is) deep, dense and rich. This wine emphasizes aromas of hazelnut, currant and black plum, with evident toasty oak from the mélange of French, American and Hungarian oak barrels carefully selected for the fruit.....you'll find a juicy entry featuring a full mouth-feel, with dense, almost plush tannins and flavors of plum and a lingering tobacco finish.

The wine is made, in part, from estate grown organically farmed grapes with additional fruit from Robert Hall and Steinbeck.

There are two simple measures of a good wine. Does the first sip elicit surprise or delight at how tasty the wine is? When the wine is gone, do you feel like she slipped away a little too soon that rainy Sunday morning? 

Late in the evening, long after handing Mrs TWC the keys, the bartender found me another bottle. Tried a nice tip, which she absolutely refused, offering nothing more than a broad smile in return.

Bonus: The Moody's Tuesday Afternoon.

As Ever,

TWC

 

Tip of the glass to Melissa, nicely done, thanks. 

Comments

[Lone Chatelaine]

You've read my mind today. I was just thinking this morning that with all the broody thunderstorms coming in for the weekend that I'd like to take a nice Cab to my friend's house for our girl's gossip night tomorrow. I was wanting something different that we hadn't tried before.

So, yaY! Thanks :)

I like that website.

[Brianp]

I have been holding their 05' Pinot Noir, which I would give better than 90. You are right about the web site, I kept expecting the Blue meanies to enter from screen right. or a yellow submarine.....

[NoStar]

I uncorked one of my two bottles of the Sunset Ridge Petite Syrah last week.

First impression, the color is a deep and georgeous dark garnet.

Second impression: Pleasant aromas, plenty of fruit, yet earthy too.

Third impression: I should have decanted. I was hit with a taste of tannin with the first sip. After decanting, the fruit flavors were more pronounced and the tannins better balanced. The wine maker notes do not lie, this wine has a lush and "full mouth feel."

I'm glad I bought two bottles. I have something nice to look forward to.

On the NoStar(TM) Spillable-Swillable-Refillable scale, The SR Petite Syrah is Muy Refillable.

[TWC]

Ms C, the pleasure was entirely mine, enjoy the gossip and have a lovely Friday evening.

Brian, I'll look into that Pinot, espc if you thought it a 90.

NoStar, thanks for the feedback. And you are absolutely on the money. Actually, I thought you decanted every dang thing. :-)

When we opened the inaugural bottling, which I think you got some of, we decanted the wine and gave it a good frothy shaking. Then we waited a little while (longer than I wanted to wait) before pouring.

The wine was decanted which, given its youth, turned out well, and as we sipped and swirled and sniffed and did all the usual wine things, the wine opened up nicely. I'm thinking that a year or two in the bottle may eliminate the need to decant.

[Jim Caudill]

From everybody at Five Rivers Winery, we're glad you're enjoying the website (and the wines).

[TWC]

Jim, thanks for stopping by TWC. I really enjoyed that cab.