Prime Rib and Petit Verdot

During the holidays there was the usual extended family gathering that featured prime rib of beef.  There were four wine drinkers in the crowd so there were some good bottles. My contribution this year was a 2007 Michel-Schlumberger Dry Creek Valley Petit Verdot, a wine not made every year.

The wine was inky black and almost totally opaque.  Lots of blackberries, black currants and mulberries in the aroma and in the taste. On the first sip I was afraid the wine was going to be too jammy but there was some restraint here.  The acid was acceptable and the tannins were full but not overly drying.  Nice balance to the wine and it was one I liked.

The star of the meal, however, was a 2001 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was another big, dark wine but with a slightly different flavor profile.  This was full of dark cherries and graphite and a ton of oak and vanilla flavors.  There was much more wood to this wine and a much longer finish.   That finish was a tad too sweet for me, but this was still an outstanding wine.

2007 Michel-Schlumberger Petit Verdot.  $40 and 14.5% alcohol

2001 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon.  $100 and 14.5% alcohol.