LE CUVIER
ELLIPTICAL SOCIETY WINES
Spring 2009
Notes from a Dank Cellar . . . unbiased descriptions by John the Wineherd .
2005 L’enfant du Pape - A slippery wine; a naughty shape shifter. Cherry Garcia, drunk with a topping of the darkest coco chocolate, a grind of black pepper, raspberry & cinnamon, a dribble of Limoncello, toasted anise, a hint of truffle, followed by a summer’s field of flower blossoms, lavender, rose petals, guava, tar, & candied fruit. It starts out bright & then goes deep & textured with mystery, like a disreputable waterfront bar on the bank of the Magdalena River in Barranquilla, Columbia, at the height of Carnival of course. This L’enfant du Pape is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape style blend of 40.9% Mourvedre, 24% Grenache, & 35.1% Syrah. All grapes from Jack Creek & Halter Ranch vineyards. [Retail bottle price: $42.50] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $34.00
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2005 Cabernet Franc - Deep, dense & aromatic with the pungent aromas of a wild boar rutting through a thicket of tangled vines, blue berries & black, with dusty sage & rhubarb, all ridden upon by a leering satyr wearing chaps sequined with ripe cherry & dark chocolate, all the while chewing upon cayenne dusted plums, sweet juices dribbling into the beard; brooding, musky, sexy, filthy: another lovely example of surfeit excess. Quite possibly the most deliciously promiscuous Cab Franc we have ever made. A blend of Halter Ranch & Carmody McKnight Vineyards. [Retail bottle price: $42.50] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $34.00.
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2005 Cabernet Sauvignon - Here lies a surfeit of delicious impressions: a round, rich vat filled with the essence of blackberry & cherry cordial upon which floats a raspberry sundae island topped with espresso chocolate. Yet, this apparent immoderation is balanced by strong tannins & a ripe overlay of licorice, tobacco & orange zest; there’s also a bit of wormwood to help your brain cells, & crushed bay leaf, olive & fennel to help float your boat. This wine hits the tongue with a sweet, voluptuous start, but finishes laced up in spike heals smoking a cheroot . . . rather dangerous. 100% Halter Ranch vineyards. [Retail bottle price: $45.00] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $36.00
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2005 Zinfandel - First, Chinese Red raspberries with a black chiffon veil of cherry liqueur, with the scent of wisteria blossoms & honeysuckle at night. Then ferns in flower in the dank of a forest floor with a wafting, ghostly trail of smoldering mahogany. Now the tongue tastes dark chocolate raisin pumpkin pie with cloves, altogether drizzled with treacle, dotted with blueberries & a dusting of turmeric. This Zinfandel is the Indian subcontinent on psychedelics. 100% Osgood Farms vineyard. [Retail bottle price: $43.75] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $35.00
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2004 Chardonnay - Our second release of this wine: a liquid glow of pure Mayan gold in your glass. Dip your nose in & pull back smells of hazelnut & candied mandarin orange peel. Another dip of the nose & now you will find a banquet of custard studded with bits of pear & pineapple, then apricot, nutmeg & grapefruit. Swirl some gold in your mouth: a curious melding of bright acid on your lips followed by a lovely compliment of viscous cream dripping from your tongue. Perfectly lascivious. Please don’t over chill her! She is in all truth & aspect a red wine who just happens to be golden, & like most red wines, she does not enjoy the cold. Vineyard: 100% Abernathy Vineyard on Adelaida Road.[Retail bottle price: $40.00] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $32.00
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2005 Pinot Noir –The first Le Cuvier Pinot Noir since 1993. Pinots are typically catalogued as being “feminine,” which is a sexist way of implying that the wines are timid little ladies who would never even countenance an indelicate thought. In this case think biker chick in black leather chaps with dozens of florid tattoos of ripe plumbs, raspberries & chocolate wrapped in tobacco leaf. Vineyard: 100% Kruse Vineyards in Templeton Gap. [Retail bottle price: $46.25] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $37.00
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Pentimento (non-vintage) –Like a Bedouin’s shorts, this wine is stuffed with more fundamentals than one can possibly imagine & is composed of wines ranging back as far as 1998. Leather, cassis, myrrh & musky sandalwood, an altogether intriguingly complex wine. Blend: Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, a touch of Cabernet Franc & a splash of Grenache. [Retail bottle price: $42.50] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $34.00
[SOLD OUT]
2005 Syrah –Strawberry shortcake with Balsamic, black chili pepper, licorice, goji berry & rich roasted bone marrow. Perhaps some basil-infused dark chocolate dabbed on the forehead of a sacrificial goat. Immensely enjoyable. Vineyard: 100% Halter Ranch Vineyard. [Retail bottle price: $45.00] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $36.00
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Rosé (multi-vintage) - Polished red copper & bronze, like the color of sun-dried persimmons. Apple & rhubarb pie with the crust oozing thick syrup from dark fraise du bois strawberries. Blend: Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre.[Retail bottle price: $35.00] Elliptical Society (discounted) Price: $28.00
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