I went out for a walk, and after having an iced latte at Tully’s, I stopped by Sekiya (the wine shop in front of Kunitachi Station). They usually offer tastings. Today they were serving Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 from Stags Leap Winery and Ch. Patache d’Aux 1998.
Ch. Patache d’Aux is a Cru Bourgeois wine from the Médoc. It is primarily Cabernet, blended with Merlot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It is a smooth wine with a moderate oak aroma and a clearly perceptible Merlot character. I learned afterward that it is served to distinguished guests at the Élysée Palace. When I searched online, I found this description: “A classic Bordeaux with a wonderfully fragrant, highly expressive violet-like bouquet. It is soft on the palate, with a mellow flavor and an abundance of fresh, fully ripened fruit.” (Source: Petite Maison Cyber Wine Shop)
As for Stag’s Leap, I approached it thinking, well, it is Californian. But when I tasted it, it was a very smooth wine quite unlike the stereotypical California Cabernet—the kind of wine that a knowledgeable person might describe as having “the aroma of tanned leather, with a faint note of clove…” (That was entirely made up.)
I had not initially intended to buy anything, but after tasting them, both were smooth and delicious, and they were half price, so I bought them on impulse. (I think Stag’s was ¥3,700 and Patache about ¥1,800.) Both samples had been open for 2 days, but they were still remarkably robust—enough to make me feel they could use decanting. Both seem capable of further aging, especially Stag’s Leap, which feels as though it could keep going for quite some time. But I cannot maintain the right conditions at home. I will have to drink them while they are still delicious….
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