The story: My friends Andy and Kuong's birthdays happened to coincide with a Laker playoff game this week. Honestly this coincidence is about as exciting to me as when I meet someone else named Scott. NBA just doesn't do it for me. But I can get down with a trip to the sport's bar after work, and I love their company. We went to Weiland Brewery Underground located in a non-descript bank building's food court a few stories below the streets of Downtown L.A.Like that actor's name that eludes you when you are trying to figure out who starred in Zombieland, there is a part of me that believes when you are seeking out something it is hard to find, but when you aren't looking it will present itself. Well, Weiland has a dirty little secret in that a previous owner had a wine obsession and they now have a lot of pretty decent wine that doesn't move too well at a place with the word Brewery in the name. So Wine Wednesday's 40% off all bottles is my new little secret that I didn't know I was looking for. You can check out a sample wine list here, and propbably realize that at 40% off most of these wines are at or below average retail price. Check it out, because if like me you feel slightly indifferent about the b-ball game, a little Caymus makes the time just fly by.
The wine: We ordered first a Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. The wine had a very opaque almost black core that went all the way to the edge of the glass where it just hinted at purple. It had a really nice nose of plum, some tar, and a hint of leather. The wine had softened substantially and while offering some dark plum flavor, it tasted even more of earth, a little cedar, and notes of cigar tobacco. The tannins were quite soft but held the wine together with the acidity to provide outstanding structure. Next up was a Chalk Hill 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County. This wine showed its age a little more with a purple core that faded to a bricked red at the edges. It also offered dark plum on the nose with a bit of a chalky (power of suggestion?) minerality, and a bit of salami. The wine was more fruity with a kirschy sweetness, giving way to some mint and eucalyptus mid-palette. The tannins were still rather firm and unfortunately held the slightly metallic finish for quite awhile.
The verdict: Both wines were priced extraordinarily well, and appeared to have been stored appropriately. The consensus was towards the Stag's Leap, and I agree giving it a 4 out of 5. The Chalk Hill drank well, and had its own character but had a little bit of unpleasant lead or metallic taste in the finish that turned some off. This wine was overall tasty and well structured and gets a 3.5 out of 5.If you are in L.A. it is worth a trip down to the brewery on a Wednesday night just to enjoy a game and get a great deal on something you wouldn't normally order in a restaurant. If not in L.A. both of the producers reviewed above consistently produce classic examples of California Cabernets that are well worth seeking out.
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