In 1980 two musicians John and Tim Crouch founded
Allegro Vineyards in Brouge (York Co) Pennsylvania and until Tim's death in
2000 produced world class Chardonnay and a Meritage Red, Cadenza. Tim grew
the grapes that John crafted until both became ill. After Tim's death John
sold the winery to Kris Miller and Carl Helrich and until his death in March
continued to "sit with" his wines especially the Cadenzas.

To honor the Crouches, Allegro repeated a 1999 vertical of the Cab Reserves
and Cadenzas at 4 tastings. Here is my notes front the November 15th event.

1991 Cremant- Made with 100% chardonnay. fruity nose, slight petillance,
applely finish. 84/100.

2002 Reserve Chardonnay-First Chard made by new owners. Good acidity, heavy
oaky-vanillan flavors dominate 86/100.

1983 Chardonnay Reserve. John Crouch's reserve chards were always super-oaky
on release and to say the least hard to appreciate and as his Maryland
representative, I always argued for a lighter touch; well I was wrong this
20 year old wine tasted like a fat toasty gracefully aging Meursault. The
colour was deep brown and the flavours a rich vanilla with quite an
aftertaste 89/100.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon (100%CS) Very tannic, fruity, high acid. 87/100 Not
yet released.

1985 CS Reserve--dark red to brown, still tannic; oaky & herbaceous. Not a
good year so no Cadenza made 86/100.

1982 CS Reserve(5% merlot & c.franc each)--still some purple tones, high
acid, moderate fruit, cassis notes fading from 99 showing 87/100

1983 CS Reserve(15% Merlot, 10% CF)Deep red, sweet flavours. fully mature
85/100

First Cadenza =1984(60% CF, 40% merlot) no longer available. Scored 88/100
in 1999.

1986 Cadenza(25% Merlot 10% CF)Deep red, tannic, briary,herbaceous, good
cassis like fruit 85/100

1988 Cadenza (12% merlot, 3% CF)1st artist label. great balance, good
tannins, deep red, highly concentrated. 90/100

1991 Cadenza (5% each merlot & CF)deep purple-red rich viscous flavours.
Rounding out & losing "baby fat" 91/100

1992 Cadenza (5% each merlot & CF) herbaceous, rich, deep red, berries,
lovely perfume 88/100

1994 Cadenza (12% CF 3% Merlot) red colour, tannic, spicy, good finish. Very
ready. 87/100.

1995 Cadenza (8%CF) Only the legendary 1980 Byrd
CS from Maryland can approach the heights of this still evolving wine. In
1999 this wine was paired with a 1995 Ch Montrose and was pegged by many
blind as a St Estephe. Red purple colours. deep complex fruit, gobs and gobs
of hedonistic berry & cassis flavours. 93/100 but should become a 95 pointer
in a few years.

1997 Cadenza (11% CF). The merlot vineyard was destroyed in 1994 and the
Crouches couldn't find a source for satisfactory merlot. No doubt this
tannic monster would be more balance with a 3% dose of merlot but this is
red purple, jammy berry-like and closed in. 88/100

1998 Cadenza(3% CF 2% Merlot). John's last Cadenza is more immediately
forthcoming then the 97. Lots of chewy frit and moderate tannin. Right now
better than the 97. 89/100.

Note:I am a very hard scorer and generally find my scores 2-3 points less
then the WA and 3-5 less than the WS scores.

As you can see Cadenza was made only in better vintages after the 1st in
1984. Only the 1998 is available at $32.49 from the winery. The chardonnay
reserve is sold out.

There are a few Maryland Cabs to rival Cadenza, both Basignani's Lorenzino
and Rob Lyons Catoctin Cab Reserves are the most consistent with Elk Run and
Woodhall's Copernica Vineyard making great strides. Lyons was winemaker for
Byrd before he founded Catoctin.
I'm behind the curve on Virginia reds in general.
G. Hamilton Mowbray made some excellent Cab Franc at Montbray before he
passed away and I tasted some good Can Franc at the last Governors Cup
competition but none to top Montbrays.

We hope to put together a Mid Atlantic wine showcase to feature Maryland,
Virginis, West Va and Eastern Pennsylvania wines:cabs/meritage, chards and
non-fortified dessert wines. Any suggestions are welcome.



--
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg

Joe Beppe Rosenberg > wrote:

: 1995 Cadenza (8%CF) Only the legendary 1980 Byrd
: CS from Maryland can approach the heights of this still evolving wine. In
<lots snipped>

Joe, this must have been when Byrd was good. In the early 90's (92
perhaps?) I purchased a case of Byrd at the winery with high hopes, but
most of those hopes were dashed by some bad volatile acidity. These were
mostly cabs and blends from the late 1980 vintages. A couple were
drinkable early on, but the rest had to be used as drain cleaner. A shame
too. Should have seen how much sediment got poured along with wine!
How are Catoctin's wines?

Mark S

Bret Byrd was not a good winemaker, when Rob Lyons made his wines from about
1978-1982, they were very good, Rob apprenticed at Chateau Montelena, Bryd
had different winemakers after Rob founded Catoctin in 1983 but no one
matched Lyons. Catoctin wines are very good but are best purchased at the
winery--they have a big local wholesaler who doesn't always have optimum
storage, IMHO. Also you get new goods at the winery, the wholesaler is still
selling older vintages of blushes and light whites.

--
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg
> wrote in message ...
> Joe Beppe Rosenberg > wrote:
>
> : 1995 Cadenza (8%CF) Only the legendary 1980 Byrd
> : CS from Maryland can approach the heights of this still evolving wine.
In
> <lots snipped>
>
> Joe, this must have been when Byrd was good. In the early 90's (92
> perhaps?) I purchased a case of Byrd at the winery with high hopes, but
> most of those hopes were dashed by some bad volatile acidity. These were
> mostly cabs and blends from the late 1980 vintages. A couple were
> drinkable early on, but the rest had to be used as drain cleaner. A shame
> too. Should have seen how much sediment got poured along with wine!
> How are Catoctin's wines?
>
> Mark S

Joe Beppe Rosenberg wrote:

> To honor the Crouches, Allegro repeated a 1999 vertical of the Cab Reserves
> and Cadenzas at 4 tastings. Here is my notes front the November 15th event.

<SNIP notes>

Sounds like a nice tasting, Joe. As you know, I've only had the '98 Cadenza
(and on the 2nd occasion it was corked, alas) but it would have been nice to
see how they develop with age. That '95 in particular sounds like a fantastic
wine...

Mark Lipton