Deep red.
Deep, intense, spicy, shoe polish, red cherry jam aromas. A totally different, thrilling, animal.
Ditto in the mouth, nothing facile here. Loaded, chewy, spicy, packed red and black fruit in the mouth. Structure is significant, with acidity driving significant (stem?) tannin. This rocks.
Day 3 - Now a deep, medicinal/dried herb, aromatic note. Tamer in the mouth now, and a bit flat, though still deep. Low SO2?
Still think this will benefit from short term (2-3 years) cellaring.
$20 - Another stupid deal.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Domaine de la Curniere, Vacqueyras 2006
Red.
Spicy cranberry/earth nose. More than a little Pinot-ish.
Broad, mouth-filling texture, with flavors matching aromas. Not incredibly complex, but many Burgundy lovers wouldn't mind this as a house wine. Acid-driven, tannic structure also reminds me of Burgundy/Oregon Pinot.
Day 3 - Ditto. Earth first now on the nose. Tasty. Simple.
$17
Spicy cranberry/earth nose. More than a little Pinot-ish.
Broad, mouth-filling texture, with flavors matching aromas. Not incredibly complex, but many Burgundy lovers wouldn't mind this as a house wine. Acid-driven, tannic structure also reminds me of Burgundy/Oregon Pinot.
Day 3 - Ditto. Earth first now on the nose. Tasty. Simple.
$17
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Las Rocas Garnacha, Vinas Viejas, Catalayud (Spain) 2003
Deepish red.
Hazelnut, grapefruit/orange zest, kirsch, deep raspberry coulis aromatics.
Still extremely vibrant in the mouth - crazy citrus zest pungency and a spicy ketchup undertone. Almost abrasive in its flavor intensity. Actually, it is abrasive, in a positive sense that may represent a new use of the term. Humorous as well - a big, thick, extended middle finger for those whose sole wine concern is "seamlessness".
Day 7 - All beets now, in a positive/earthy sense. Just a hint of oxidation setting in.
$15. Yes, this is a stupid value.
Hazelnut, grapefruit/orange zest, kirsch, deep raspberry coulis aromatics.
Still extremely vibrant in the mouth - crazy citrus zest pungency and a spicy ketchup undertone. Almost abrasive in its flavor intensity. Actually, it is abrasive, in a positive sense that may represent a new use of the term. Humorous as well - a big, thick, extended middle finger for those whose sole wine concern is "seamlessness".
Day 7 - All beets now, in a positive/earthy sense. Just a hint of oxidation setting in.
$15. Yes, this is a stupid value.
Chapoutier "Terra d' Or" Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 1998
Deep, saturated, red.
Dense, packed nose shows some heat. Black fruit reduction, hints of menthol/black olive/fig and molasses. Carignan? Can't remember what's in this. Smells loaded, like a top-notch Priorat.
Quite intense in the mouth too, again, like Priorat. Acid/alcohol-driven intensity is somewhat simplistic/rustic. Slight burnt note. But this has great depth. Old vines must be involved here.
Day 4 - Burnt/flat nose (same as yesterday). Dead in the water.
$40-45 on release.
Dense, packed nose shows some heat. Black fruit reduction, hints of menthol/black olive/fig and molasses. Carignan? Can't remember what's in this. Smells loaded, like a top-notch Priorat.
Quite intense in the mouth too, again, like Priorat. Acid/alcohol-driven intensity is somewhat simplistic/rustic. Slight burnt note. But this has great depth. Old vines must be involved here.
Day 4 - Burnt/flat nose (same as yesterday). Dead in the water.
$40-45 on release.
Chante Cigale, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2007
Straw.
Have to dig out the aromatics. Almost a beer nut quality initially (reminds me of certain Rieslings). Then we get hints of pear and almond. Other spicy stuff (quince?) too. Intriguing, needs some time. Pepper.
Then sweet, ripe, pear and lemon action in the mouth, with almond paste bringing up the rear. Quite fresh, not nearly as opulent and rich as the Clos St. Michel '06 (bottle age, vintage difference, or both?), but very nice stuff. Strong acidity/minerality drive the finish.
RFG
Day 4 - More immediate fruit on the nose now. Pear/almond/hazelnut. Nice, restrained, flesh in the mid-palate. Not as rich as the St. Michel '06, but classier, more vibrant. Could drink a lot of this.
$35
Have to dig out the aromatics. Almost a beer nut quality initially (reminds me of certain Rieslings). Then we get hints of pear and almond. Other spicy stuff (quince?) too. Intriguing, needs some time. Pepper.
Then sweet, ripe, pear and lemon action in the mouth, with almond paste bringing up the rear. Quite fresh, not nearly as opulent and rich as the Clos St. Michel '06 (bottle age, vintage difference, or both?), but very nice stuff. Strong acidity/minerality drive the finish.
RFG
Day 4 - More immediate fruit on the nose now. Pear/almond/hazelnut. Nice, restrained, flesh in the mid-palate. Not as rich as the St. Michel '06, but classier, more vibrant. Could drink a lot of this.
$35
Clos St. Michel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2006
Straw/ light yellow.
Almond, meal, spiced pear aromatics.
Deep, thick, impression in the mouth with a phenolic/mineral edge keeping everything well in bounds. Almond and ripe pineapple flavors, deep and long. Lots of mid-palate stuffing. PFG. Rich and vibrant - tough to pull off in CdP.
Day 4 - Honey, sauteed apple/pear, almond on the nose now. Similar to day 1 in the mouth, but showing the sauteed apple/pear from the nose. Still has a nice, chewy, edge that keeps it reasonably fresh.
$30
Almond, meal, spiced pear aromatics.
Deep, thick, impression in the mouth with a phenolic/mineral edge keeping everything well in bounds. Almond and ripe pineapple flavors, deep and long. Lots of mid-palate stuffing. PFG. Rich and vibrant - tough to pull off in CdP.
Day 4 - Honey, sauteed apple/pear, almond on the nose now. Similar to day 1 in the mouth, but showing the sauteed apple/pear from the nose. Still has a nice, chewy, edge that keeps it reasonably fresh.
$30
Monday, October 20, 2008
Havens "Bourriquot" Napa Valley 2001
Deep red.
Toasty French oak, toasted nut, herbs, iodine aromatics. Smells like good, refined, Bordeaux.
Deep and packed, again, in a refined manner, in the mouth. Acid edge surfaces in the mid-palate. Quite long. Herb/mineral/acid chew on the finish.
62% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot.
$35 on release
Toasty French oak, toasted nut, herbs, iodine aromatics. Smells like good, refined, Bordeaux.
Deep and packed, again, in a refined manner, in the mouth. Acid edge surfaces in the mid-palate. Quite long. Herb/mineral/acid chew on the finish.
62% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot.
$35 on release
Alion, Ribera del Duero 2001
Deep red/purple.
Earth, smoke, truffle (like Chard truffle/sulfide), almond aromatics. Subtle compared to the Condado. A late fig note.
Lighter and more refined in the mouth than the Condado. Middle-weight throughout, quite even in flow on the palate. This, too, is dominated by strong acidity and moderate tannin. Serious front-teeth constriction. No problem sitting on a bottle for another 5-7 years.
$45 on release
Earth, smoke, truffle (like Chard truffle/sulfide), almond aromatics. Subtle compared to the Condado. A late fig note.
Lighter and more refined in the mouth than the Condado. Middle-weight throughout, quite even in flow on the palate. This, too, is dominated by strong acidity and moderate tannin. Serious front-teeth constriction. No problem sitting on a bottle for another 5-7 years.
$45 on release
Condado de Haza, Ribera del Duero 2001
Deep red/purple.
Very attractive smoky oak/savory meat action on the nose. Deep.
Plush and filled-in, but simultaneously snappy with strong acidity. Earthy/mineral chew throughout. Not complex, but quite satisfying with the right stuff (grilled sausage).
$20 on release
Very attractive smoky oak/savory meat action on the nose. Deep.
Plush and filled-in, but simultaneously snappy with strong acidity. Earthy/mineral chew throughout. Not complex, but quite satisfying with the right stuff (grilled sausage).
$20 on release
Friday, October 17, 2008
Alban "Reva" Syrah 2004 (Edna Valley)
Opaque purple/red.
Toasty, smoky, bacon, hamhock, melted licorice nose with earth, pepper underneath. This showed a significant pepper/citrus character on Day 1 (10/15). Actually, still does, just takes longer to see.
Ridiculously suave/mouthcoating, achieved without effort. Packed start to finish. This has seemingly strong acidity and significant tannin, but the structure is obliterated by concentration. The front teeth finally feel some chew well into the finish.
All kinds of flavor in the mouth, incorporating all aromatic qualities.
16.7% alcohol and absolutely no sense of heat.
$80
Toasty, smoky, bacon, hamhock, melted licorice nose with earth, pepper underneath. This showed a significant pepper/citrus character on Day 1 (10/15). Actually, still does, just takes longer to see.
Ridiculously suave/mouthcoating, achieved without effort. Packed start to finish. This has seemingly strong acidity and significant tannin, but the structure is obliterated by concentration. The front teeth finally feel some chew well into the finish.
All kinds of flavor in the mouth, incorporating all aromatic qualities.
16.7% alcohol and absolutely no sense of heat.
$80
3 Rings, Shiraz Reserve, Barossa Valley 2004
Deep purple/red.
Caramel/praline, fig/date, earth - a total oozer/reduction sauce of a nose now.
Round and sweet texturally, extraordinarily so. A bit of alcohol intrudes throughout, as does a level of acidity that doesn't jibe well with the opulence here. But there's no denying the pure blackberry fruit that rides through it all. Also no denying a complete lack of flavor complexity. Extremely concentrated, with a definite saline impression.
This is actually day 3, opened on 10/15, at which time the wine was brighter, but also more dis-jointed
Nearly three years in barrel. Huge score in the Wine Advocate (98?), apparently hated by Raynolds of The International Wine Cellar.
$60, 16.5% alcohol
Caramel/praline, fig/date, earth - a total oozer/reduction sauce of a nose now.
Round and sweet texturally, extraordinarily so. A bit of alcohol intrudes throughout, as does a level of acidity that doesn't jibe well with the opulence here. But there's no denying the pure blackberry fruit that rides through it all. Also no denying a complete lack of flavor complexity. Extremely concentrated, with a definite saline impression.
This is actually day 3, opened on 10/15, at which time the wine was brighter, but also more dis-jointed
Nearly three years in barrel. Huge score in the Wine Advocate (98?), apparently hated by Raynolds of The International Wine Cellar.
$60, 16.5% alcohol
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Standish Shiraz Barossa Valley 2001
Opaque purple/red.
Smoky, toasty oak (or is it creosote?), fig, date and deep, melted, licorice nose.
Intense and dense in the mouth without any sense of roundness or textural sweetness. Packed - Pax-like. Fairly significant acid component, which gives this a dis-jointed impression.
$60
Smoky, toasty oak (or is it creosote?), fig, date and deep, melted, licorice nose.
Intense and dense in the mouth without any sense of roundness or textural sweetness. Packed - Pax-like. Fairly significant acid component, which gives this a dis-jointed impression.
$60
Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard 2005 (Mt. Harlan)
Light red.
Earth/spice/underbrush, cran/strawberry and a slight stem character on the nose.
Round with some textural sweetness. Flavor is completely bound up in the mouth, with a fair amount of acid/stem tannin constriction. Better with some air, I think.
$45
Earth/spice/underbrush, cran/strawberry and a slight stem character on the nose.
Round with some textural sweetness. Flavor is completely bound up in the mouth, with a fair amount of acid/stem tannin constriction. Better with some air, I think.
$45
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Carlisle, Sonoma County, Zinfandel 2002
Red.
Sweet red cherry, earth/loam, spice and subtle oak nose.
Quite round and plush in the mouth, with a textural sweetness nicely balanced by an edge of acidity that hits the front teeth. Not complex, but easy to enjoy. A big wine, BTW (15.8% alcohol), that sommeliers will love.
Opened yesterday (all acid structure)
$25
Sweet red cherry, earth/loam, spice and subtle oak nose.
Quite round and plush in the mouth, with a textural sweetness nicely balanced by an edge of acidity that hits the front teeth. Not complex, but easy to enjoy. A big wine, BTW (15.8% alcohol), that sommeliers will love.
Opened yesterday (all acid structure)
$25
Taltarni, Shiraz, Pyrenees Victoria (Australia) 2004
Deep purple/red.
Ripe/deep/creamy blackberry, fig, menthol, spice and juniper/pepper nose. No heat.
Middle-weight and more constricted in the mouth, with relatively strong acidity clamping down on flavor expression. Pepper/juniper carries through, however, and a tight citrus character too. Slightly grainy tannin comes out of the finish. Really good, interesting action, particularly for the $$
My first Shiraz, if I remember correctly, was the 1984 from Taltarni.
$18
Ripe/deep/creamy blackberry, fig, menthol, spice and juniper/pepper nose. No heat.
Middle-weight and more constricted in the mouth, with relatively strong acidity clamping down on flavor expression. Pepper/juniper carries through, however, and a tight citrus character too. Slightly grainy tannin comes out of the finish. Really good, interesting action, particularly for the $$
My first Shiraz, if I remember correctly, was the 1984 from Taltarni.
$18
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Clos du Caillou "Les Safres" Chateauneuf du Pape 2006
Red, slight purple.
Deep, low-toned nose - clay/earth, fig, licorice?, black raspberry.
Round, sweet and mouth-filling. A bit of heat initially, then strong acidity and clay/earth character moves to the fore. Acid-driven structure coats the front teeth in "mineral' chew.
Very "modern" CdP. This has been filtered, I'd guess. No sediment of any kind.
Day 7 - No oxidation. Clay/earth front and center now, which makes me think there's a considerable Mourvedre component. Probably wrong. Still an oozer of a nose. Still loaded/packed in the mouth - red cherry jam - like you're eating some. The mineral-like acid dimension still cuts through it all. This rocks. WTF?
$65
Deep, low-toned nose - clay/earth, fig, licorice?, black raspberry.
Round, sweet and mouth-filling. A bit of heat initially, then strong acidity and clay/earth character moves to the fore. Acid-driven structure coats the front teeth in "mineral' chew.
Very "modern" CdP. This has been filtered, I'd guess. No sediment of any kind.
Day 7 - No oxidation. Clay/earth front and center now, which makes me think there's a considerable Mourvedre component. Probably wrong. Still an oozer of a nose. Still loaded/packed in the mouth - red cherry jam - like you're eating some. The mineral-like acid dimension still cuts through it all. This rocks. WTF?
$65
Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva 2001
Red, some rust at rim.
Iron, earth, leather, hazelnut, with red rasp/cherry underneath. Effortless aromatic complexity.
Definitely a ripped middle-weight in the mouth. Taut start to finish, with flavors similar to the nose, only more muted. This needs some savory meat. Another Italian red that is a fine antidote to the creamy, fruit-stupid wines coming from all corners of the earth these days.
$35
Iron, earth, leather, hazelnut, with red rasp/cherry underneath. Effortless aromatic complexity.
Definitely a ripped middle-weight in the mouth. Taut start to finish, with flavors similar to the nose, only more muted. This needs some savory meat. Another Italian red that is a fine antidote to the creamy, fruit-stupid wines coming from all corners of the earth these days.
$35
Turley "Duarte" Zinfandel, Contra Costa County 2006
Red.
Deep, fruit and earth nose. Not complex, but sumptuous.
Nice filled-in textural sweetness, reasonably bright, with seemingly strong acidity. Another example of Turley's Zin meets Pinot style.
$25
Deep, fruit and earth nose. Not complex, but sumptuous.
Nice filled-in textural sweetness, reasonably bright, with seemingly strong acidity. Another example of Turley's Zin meets Pinot style.
$25
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