Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas! Not a great wine night, but decent. The 2003 Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay is great, not as good as the 2002, but nicely buttered and just a touch of oak. The 2004 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay is a bit more mineraly, but in the same vain as the Newton... perhaps not quite as good, but very good. The 1999 Prunotto Barolo was good, but not great. The 1995 Chateau Pichon-Baron was very good... a nice cedary Bordeaux with plums... a long life ahead. The 2004 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was tasted again after 6 hours... fabulous, but in-your-face style. The 2002 Screaming Eagle was, well, as I always fin it, completely underwhelming. Plummy and concentrated... this wine has nothing on the 2002 Harlan or the 2002 Shafer Hillside. I would gladly drink it as it is a very good wine, but I wouldn't seek it out.