Full yellow.
Nose of pineapple jelly, hazelnut, some citrus zest, pepper and mint.
Intensely pepper spicy in the mouth with acid/mineral chew immediately hitting the front teeth. Tanzer's "inner-mouth perfume" in spades. Quite rich and deep to boot, but not at all heavy. Peppermint goes long into the chewy, tactile finish. RFG. Also opened earlier today, when it showed some residual CO2 and a Riesling-like petrol character.
$35? Another gift from Sariya. Did this see some new(ish) oak? Seems like a hint, but probably not.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Colli di Lapio di Romano Clelia, Fiano di Avellino 2006
Light yellow.
Understated nose hints at something deep and rich. Reminds me of Marsanne in that sense. Pear, quince and smoke? Mint?
Fleshy and deep, with nice acid and light mineral edge. Now reminds me of Alsace. Still can't really get a handle on this - citrus, pear, petrol, iodine flavors? Interesting head scratcher with great length. Opened earlier today.
$35? Gift from Sariya J.B. who imports this into the US (Marc di Grazia). Fiano has a great reputation (apparently quite famous in Roman times). The Australians seem to like it too. Oliver's Taranga among them.
Understated nose hints at something deep and rich. Reminds me of Marsanne in that sense. Pear, quince and smoke? Mint?
Fleshy and deep, with nice acid and light mineral edge. Now reminds me of Alsace. Still can't really get a handle on this - citrus, pear, petrol, iodine flavors? Interesting head scratcher with great length. Opened earlier today.
$35? Gift from Sariya J.B. who imports this into the US (Marc di Grazia). Fiano has a great reputation (apparently quite famous in Roman times). The Australians seem to like it too. Oliver's Taranga among them.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Burgans, Albarino, Rias Baixas 2008
Straw/light yellow.
Interesting, attractive nose of nut paste, talc, pear/peach.
Ripe flavors of peach flesh with a bit of pit bitterness as a nice counterpoint. Moderate acidity and minerality give a light edge that keeps this fresh. Chewy acid/mineral finish hits the front teeth. Very good stuff.
$18
Interesting, attractive nose of nut paste, talc, pear/peach.
Ripe flavors of peach flesh with a bit of pit bitterness as a nice counterpoint. Moderate acidity and minerality give a light edge that keeps this fresh. Chewy acid/mineral finish hits the front teeth. Very good stuff.
$18
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Chateau La Fleur-Petrus, Pomerol 2006
Deep red.
Opened last night. Open-knit, very sexy aromas of hazelnut, suave oak spice (cinnamon), red and black fruit.
Very attractive middle-weight in the mouth. Bright, lifted without the density of "great" vintages, but this will be comfort drinking for many years. Significant acid/tannin synergy in the finish suggest another 4-5 years of cellaring, at least. Additional complexity the attainable goal.
$ ? (not cheap) Courtesy of Frank Bostock.
Opened last night. Open-knit, very sexy aromas of hazelnut, suave oak spice (cinnamon), red and black fruit.
Very attractive middle-weight in the mouth. Bright, lifted without the density of "great" vintages, but this will be comfort drinking for many years. Significant acid/tannin synergy in the finish suggest another 4-5 years of cellaring, at least. Additional complexity the attainable goal.
$ ? (not cheap) Courtesy of Frank Bostock.
Torbreck "The Gask" Eden Valley 2007
Saturated purple/black.
Opened last night. Very deep, but fine aromas of black olive/pepper/toasted oak/nut/bacon/menthol/melted licorice and a saline nuance. Fig and black raspberry underneath. This would be interesting in a flight of North Coast CA Syrahs.
Packed and very suave in the mouth, with alcohol a non-issue. This is FK, has real life and immense depth with no sense of weight. Moderate tannic chew in the finish keeps it real. Holy shit - this is good. And I'm not generally a huge fan of Torbreck.
$ ? (not cheap) Courtesy of Frank Bostock. Not available in the US, apparently. 15% alcohol listed.
Opened last night. Very deep, but fine aromas of black olive/pepper/toasted oak/nut/bacon/menthol/melted licorice and a saline nuance. Fig and black raspberry underneath. This would be interesting in a flight of North Coast CA Syrahs.
Packed and very suave in the mouth, with alcohol a non-issue. This is FK, has real life and immense depth with no sense of weight. Moderate tannic chew in the finish keeps it real. Holy shit - this is good. And I'm not generally a huge fan of Torbreck.
$ ? (not cheap) Courtesy of Frank Bostock. Not available in the US, apparently. 15% alcohol listed.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Les Pallieres "Les Racines" Gigondas 2007
Red/purple.
Vinturi - expressive nose - black raspberry/cherry coulis, clay/earth/hazelnut with a floral lift. PFG.
Fills the mouth, plush and loaded simultaneously, with a grainy acid/tannin edge that brings focus without impeding flavor flow.
Shows a pepper character in the mouth, that, along with slightly chewy tannin, suggests stem inclusion. Has real lift in the mouth. This is RFG and built for a long window of great drinking. Wine "life lesson" #1 - buy and drink more stuff like this.
$35. 80% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 7% Cinsaut and 5% Clairette (Very interesting, esoteric white variety that features prominently in the white wine from Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf which happens to be one of the partners in this estate. The other partner is importer Kermit Lynch). Cinsaut is mis-spelled Cinsault on the back label, PFF. From a 60+ year old parcel of vines.
Vinturi - expressive nose - black raspberry/cherry coulis, clay/earth/hazelnut with a floral lift. PFG.
Fills the mouth, plush and loaded simultaneously, with a grainy acid/tannin edge that brings focus without impeding flavor flow.
Shows a pepper character in the mouth, that, along with slightly chewy tannin, suggests stem inclusion. Has real lift in the mouth. This is RFG and built for a long window of great drinking. Wine "life lesson" #1 - buy and drink more stuff like this.
$35. 80% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 7% Cinsaut and 5% Clairette (Very interesting, esoteric white variety that features prominently in the white wine from Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf which happens to be one of the partners in this estate. The other partner is importer Kermit Lynch). Cinsaut is mis-spelled Cinsault on the back label, PFF. From a 60+ year old parcel of vines.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Alto Moncayo, Garnacha, Campo de Borja 2004
Very deep purple/red.
Vinturi - attractive, deep nose - coconut, savory meat stew, pepper with black fruit underneath.
Considerable textural sweetness with some mid-palate heat that throws flavors off track through the finish. Totally disjointed in the finish, where fairly strong acidity kicks in. I thought I was going to change my mind about this wine based on the nose ...
Hated my first bottle a few years ago.
$40. Chris Ringland is the consulting winemaker. 16% alcohol listed.
Vinturi - attractive, deep nose - coconut, savory meat stew, pepper with black fruit underneath.
Considerable textural sweetness with some mid-palate heat that throws flavors off track through the finish. Totally disjointed in the finish, where fairly strong acidity kicks in. I thought I was going to change my mind about this wine based on the nose ...
Hated my first bottle a few years ago.
$40. Chris Ringland is the consulting winemaker. 16% alcohol listed.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Clos St. Jean "Vieilles Vignes" Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007
Red/slight purple.
Vinturi - plush nose of red raspberry/cherry coulis, hazelnut/earth/meat and some oak spice(?). No hint of garrigue..
Round and loaded/plush/mouth-filling. Shows some heat in the mid-palate, but that may be a function of youth. Very interesting take on CdP - this (I think) is entirely de-stemmed, picked late and sees some new oak. All about fruit and texture at the moment. Certainly structured, though, with acid/tannin synergy significantly tapering the finish. Will this become more complex with age? Probably.
$45. This would be fun in a blind tasting with Saxum and Linne Calodo.
Vinturi - plush nose of red raspberry/cherry coulis, hazelnut/earth/meat and some oak spice(?). No hint of garrigue..
Round and loaded/plush/mouth-filling. Shows some heat in the mid-palate, but that may be a function of youth. Very interesting take on CdP - this (I think) is entirely de-stemmed, picked late and sees some new oak. All about fruit and texture at the moment. Certainly structured, though, with acid/tannin synergy significantly tapering the finish. Will this become more complex with age? Probably.
$45. This would be fun in a blind tasting with Saxum and Linne Calodo.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Marcassin, Three Sisters Vyd., Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2005
Bright yellow.
Low-key aromas of lemon oil/lemon zest, fresh herbs, earth and toasted nut.
Extremely dense (Tanzer's"solid") in the mouth. Lemon, sulfide/mineral and caramel flavors. Mineral/sulfide/acid synergy gives a nice edge to the onslaught of richness. Mouthwatering balance - leaves no sense of weight. Just an incredibly long finish of lemon, caramel, iodine and mineral/sulfide "chew". Tasted barely chilled. As usual, it's hard to stop drinking this stuff. FK.
$75. 14.4% alcohol listed.
Low-key aromas of lemon oil/lemon zest, fresh herbs, earth and toasted nut.
Extremely dense (Tanzer's"solid") in the mouth. Lemon, sulfide/mineral and caramel flavors. Mineral/sulfide/acid synergy gives a nice edge to the onslaught of richness. Mouthwatering balance - leaves no sense of weight. Just an incredibly long finish of lemon, caramel, iodine and mineral/sulfide "chew". Tasted barely chilled. As usual, it's hard to stop drinking this stuff. FK.
$75. 14.4% alcohol listed.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Betz "Clos de Betz" Columbia Valley 2005
Very deep red.
Vinturi - deep, loaded, nose - black raspberry, savory earth/nut/meat, fig, oak spice.
Packed and plush in the mouth. Quite refined, with just a suggestion of grainy tannin/concentration. Strawberry and chocolate show up in the mouth, too. It would be really easy to drain this right now, but it's built to age gracefully. I wouldn't mind trying this in 12-15 years. RFG.
$46. 56% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, and 9% Cabernet Franc.
Vinturi - deep, loaded, nose - black raspberry, savory earth/nut/meat, fig, oak spice.
Packed and plush in the mouth. Quite refined, with just a suggestion of grainy tannin/concentration. Strawberry and chocolate show up in the mouth, too. It would be really easy to drain this right now, but it's built to age gracefully. I wouldn't mind trying this in 12-15 years. RFG.
$46. 56% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, and 9% Cabernet Franc.
Havens, Merlot, Napa Valley 2005
Deep red.
Vinturi - attractive, integrated nose of hazelnut, herbs, red pepper, black raspberry.
Round and plush, with very good depth and length. Mild acid/tannin synergy keeps everything firm and lifted, so to speak. Good stuff. But doesn't seem to have the guts/interest of something M.H. would have bottled himself.
$20. Unfortunately this winery no longer exists. Michael Havens hopefully got his money up front. Great, thoughtful, winemaker.
Vinturi - attractive, integrated nose of hazelnut, herbs, red pepper, black raspberry.
Round and plush, with very good depth and length. Mild acid/tannin synergy keeps everything firm and lifted, so to speak. Good stuff. But doesn't seem to have the guts/interest of something M.H. would have bottled himself.
$20. Unfortunately this winery no longer exists. Michael Havens hopefully got his money up front. Great, thoughtful, winemaker.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Numanthia, Toro (Spain) 2002
Purple/red.
Vinturi - nose of black cherry/blackberry coulis, earth/hazelnut, black pepper and olive. Deep, but also has nice lift.
Round and intense, showing a coconut/pepper/earth character that reminds me of Rioja, as does the acid-driven structure. Almost "citrusy" in feel (think zest). Which is very interesting. 2002 was a cooler year in most of Europe, so we get a Toro (hot area) that tastes/feels like Rioja (cooler). I actually like this wine far better than the massively extracted '98 or '99. Nice pepper finish intertwined with significant acid/tannin synergy.
$45 on release. 100% Tempranillo.
Vinturi - nose of black cherry/blackberry coulis, earth/hazelnut, black pepper and olive. Deep, but also has nice lift.
Round and intense, showing a coconut/pepper/earth character that reminds me of Rioja, as does the acid-driven structure. Almost "citrusy" in feel (think zest). Which is very interesting. 2002 was a cooler year in most of Europe, so we get a Toro (hot area) that tastes/feels like Rioja (cooler). I actually like this wine far better than the massively extracted '98 or '99. Nice pepper finish intertwined with significant acid/tannin synergy.
$45 on release. 100% Tempranillo.
Craneford "John Zilm" Petit Verdot, Barossa Valley 2002
Deep, saturated red.
Vinturi - menthol, oak spice, blackberry, earth nose with a medicinal nuance.
Plush and mouth-filling, initially. Then an edge of acidity (decent bit of VA?) whittles the wine down to a middle-weight feel. Not particularly detailed, but definitely has guts and enough flesh to cover its bones.
$25 on release.
Vinturi - menthol, oak spice, blackberry, earth nose with a medicinal nuance.
Plush and mouth-filling, initially. Then an edge of acidity (decent bit of VA?) whittles the wine down to a middle-weight feel. Not particularly detailed, but definitely has guts and enough flesh to cover its bones.
$25 on release.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Clos les Lunelles, Cotes de Castillon (Bordeaux) 2003
Deep red/purple.
Vinturi - nose of earth, dried fig, licorice, tobacco, chocolate and black raspberry. This has a (positive) confectionary aspect that reminds me of something (good) from Australia.
Round, very deep, and low-toned (slightly flat) in the mouth. A reduction sauce, flavor-wise, that could use some lift. All tannin in the clenching finish. Interesting 2003. Big, burly thing that can't dance.
Day 3 - Nose is beginning to flatten/dry out. Dried out reduction now, totally dead in the finish. A great argument for irrigation in crazy, hot, years...
$35. I think the blend is based on Merlot.
Vinturi - nose of earth, dried fig, licorice, tobacco, chocolate and black raspberry. This has a (positive) confectionary aspect that reminds me of something (good) from Australia.
Round, very deep, and low-toned (slightly flat) in the mouth. A reduction sauce, flavor-wise, that could use some lift. All tannin in the clenching finish. Interesting 2003. Big, burly thing that can't dance.
Day 3 - Nose is beginning to flatten/dry out. Dried out reduction now, totally dead in the finish. A great argument for irrigation in crazy, hot, years...
$35. I think the blend is based on Merlot.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Quinta do Vallado, Tinto, Douro (Portugal) 2007
Purple/red.
Vinturi - nose of black raspberry/cherry coulis, subtle pepper and earth. Refined and very attractive.
Low-toned entry gets a bit of an acid jolt in the mid-palate. Intensely flavored from that point on, and fairly lean. Acid/tannin synergy works on the front teeth in the finish. Middle-weight. Not as deep as expected, but nice stuff nonetheless. Interesting to try this again tomorrow.
Day 5 - Nose is still great, with better "fit" in the mouth, start to finish. Intensely flavored throughout, with no fat. Definitely worth buying and cellaring.
$25. Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (=Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Sousao.
Vinturi - nose of black raspberry/cherry coulis, subtle pepper and earth. Refined and very attractive.
Low-toned entry gets a bit of an acid jolt in the mid-palate. Intensely flavored from that point on, and fairly lean. Acid/tannin synergy works on the front teeth in the finish. Middle-weight. Not as deep as expected, but nice stuff nonetheless. Interesting to try this again tomorrow.
Day 5 - Nose is still great, with better "fit" in the mouth, start to finish. Intensely flavored throughout, with no fat. Definitely worth buying and cellaring.
$25. Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (=Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Sousao.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Bella Luna, Tempranillo, San Benito (CA) 2005
Deep red.
Vinturi - very sexy nose shows significant, well-integrated, oak(?) contribution - toasted nut, deep earth, red pepper with red and black fruit underneath.
Nice textural roundness and depth whittled down to size by fairly strong, but unobtrusive, acidity. Flavor and structure on two tracks. Nice, subtle length. Interestingly, oak seems not to be a major factor in the mouth. Sulfides? Probably - contributing to the "acid" impression in the mouth. Good stuff, real depth.
$30? Gift from Mike Irwin. 14.6% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - very sexy nose shows significant, well-integrated, oak(?) contribution - toasted nut, deep earth, red pepper with red and black fruit underneath.
Nice textural roundness and depth whittled down to size by fairly strong, but unobtrusive, acidity. Flavor and structure on two tracks. Nice, subtle length. Interestingly, oak seems not to be a major factor in the mouth. Sulfides? Probably - contributing to the "acid" impression in the mouth. Good stuff, real depth.
$30? Gift from Mike Irwin. 14.6% listed alcohol.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Graham's, Vintage Porto 1994
Slightly dull red, brick rim.
Vinturi - nose of brandy, black raspberry, deep (black) soil, Fig Newton, celery. Something savory here, too.
Wildly deep and sweet in the mouth, but the "brandy" tames it to some extent. Adds orange liqueur to the flavors that follow the nose. Tannin eventually asserts itself, making this nearly dry in the finish. But spicy black fruit, earth and stemmy flavors keep kicking. This isn't close to maturity - maybe another 10 years - especially in a 750mL.
$35? 375mL. Seems appropriate that the 1000th post on this blog should be (RFG) Vintage Port.
Vinturi - nose of brandy, black raspberry, deep (black) soil, Fig Newton, celery. Something savory here, too.
Wildly deep and sweet in the mouth, but the "brandy" tames it to some extent. Adds orange liqueur to the flavors that follow the nose. Tannin eventually asserts itself, making this nearly dry in the finish. But spicy black fruit, earth and stemmy flavors keep kicking. This isn't close to maturity - maybe another 10 years - especially in a 750mL.
$35? 375mL. Seems appropriate that the 1000th post on this blog should be (RFG) Vintage Port.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Syncline "Subduction Red" Columbia Valley 2008
Red.
Vinturi - open-knit aromas of pepper, strawberry, earth and nut.
Round, with some textural sweetness. Pretty, relying on its direct, fresh strawberries and cream flavors and easygoing texture. Delicious and perfect for social work.
$22. 26% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 24% Cinsaut, 12% Mourvedre, 9% Counoise, 4% Carignan.
Vinturi - open-knit aromas of pepper, strawberry, earth and nut.
Round, with some textural sweetness. Pretty, relying on its direct, fresh strawberries and cream flavors and easygoing texture. Delicious and perfect for social work.
$22. 26% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 24% Cinsaut, 12% Mourvedre, 9% Counoise, 4% Carignan.
Casa Gran del Siurana "GR-174" Priorat 2007
Red/purple.
Vinturi - clay/earth, pepper, shoe polish, savory nut nose with cherry underneath.
Round and quite suave/plush. Really nice concentration/density, with moderate acid-driven tannin keeping everything clean, focused. This is also RFG and another stupid deal. Well worth buying a case of this and drinking it over the next 7-8 years. Nice core of plush red cherry/raspberry flavors.
$17! 35% Garnatxa=Garnacha, 30% Carinyena=Carignan, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vinturi - clay/earth, pepper, shoe polish, savory nut nose with cherry underneath.
Round and quite suave/plush. Really nice concentration/density, with moderate acid-driven tannin keeping everything clean, focused. This is also RFG and another stupid deal. Well worth buying a case of this and drinking it over the next 7-8 years. Nice core of plush red cherry/raspberry flavors.
$17! 35% Garnatxa=Garnacha, 30% Carinyena=Carignan, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Monte la Sarda, Garnacha, Vino de la Tierra del Bajo Aragon 2007
Deep red.
Vinturi - deep earth/truffle/nut, red cherry sauce and red licorice nose.
Quite deep in the mouth too, with bright, taut citrus zest (grapefruit/orange), cranberry, cherry and earth flavors. Acid-driven structure coats the front teeth in "chew". Nice, pungent, length. RFG and the real deal. Stupid price. Technical cork means this will be able to handle 3-5 years of cellaring. Buy it.
$13! From 45+ year old Garnacha=Grenache from an area 125 miles west of Barcelona.
Vinturi - deep earth/truffle/nut, red cherry sauce and red licorice nose.
Quite deep in the mouth too, with bright, taut citrus zest (grapefruit/orange), cranberry, cherry and earth flavors. Acid-driven structure coats the front teeth in "chew". Nice, pungent, length. RFG and the real deal. Stupid price. Technical cork means this will be able to handle 3-5 years of cellaring. Buy it.
$13! From 45+ year old Garnacha=Grenache from an area 125 miles west of Barcelona.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Clerico, Ginestra, Barolo 1997
Deep red, some rim evolution.
Vinturi - integrated, deep nose - savory toasted nut/earth, menthol and roasted meat. No fruit showing.
Intense and packed for Nebbiolo with acid-driven tannin slowly shutting the mouth down. Cherry, herb and earth flavors really in the background, still. Almost "mineral" feel as structural synergy coats the front teeth. Not even remotely close to maturity. Interesting, impressive, but I doubt this will ever sing like the '96.
$50.
Vinturi - integrated, deep nose - savory toasted nut/earth, menthol and roasted meat. No fruit showing.
Intense and packed for Nebbiolo with acid-driven tannin slowly shutting the mouth down. Cherry, herb and earth flavors really in the background, still. Almost "mineral" feel as structural synergy coats the front teeth. Not even remotely close to maturity. Interesting, impressive, but I doubt this will ever sing like the '96.
$50.
Guerrieri Rizzardi "Pojega" Ripasso, Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2006
Red.
Vinturi - interesting nose - hazelnut, green tea, black pepper, earth/game/iron and cherry.
Round middle-weight in the mouth. No fat, as strong, iron-edged, acidity cuts through the finish. Much lighter impression than most of the Ripassa-styled wines I've had in the past. Not sure if this is the house style or a vintage thing. Not giving it up quite yet, but this would be fun with cheese or roast chicken.
$17. Ripassa-styled wines are made by adding the skins from Amarone production to regular Valpolicella ferments. This is a single vineyard (Pojega) bottling.
Vinturi - interesting nose - hazelnut, green tea, black pepper, earth/game/iron and cherry.
Round middle-weight in the mouth. No fat, as strong, iron-edged, acidity cuts through the finish. Much lighter impression than most of the Ripassa-styled wines I've had in the past. Not sure if this is the house style or a vintage thing. Not giving it up quite yet, but this would be fun with cheese or roast chicken.
$17. Ripassa-styled wines are made by adding the skins from Amarone production to regular Valpolicella ferments. This is a single vineyard (Pojega) bottling.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Olivares "Dulce" Monastrell, Jumilla (dessert wine) 2000
Saturated black, some rim evolution.
Vinturi - huge reduction sauce of a nose - brandy, spicy fig, prune, seared meat, licorice, fragrant wood and shoe polish. Also shows an incredibly deep damp earth aspect.
Wildly sweet and totally loaded in the mouth. Crazy density - the last thing you notice is alcohol. Tannin finally pulls this thing out of its lusciously sweet nose dive, finishing almost dry. Reminds me to some extent of PX solera stuff. Smells like it's been fortified, but tastes like a natural (dried fruit) sweet wine. Which it is, apparently. A dedicated wino could easily finish off a bottle of this on a Friday night.
$25/500mL. 16% listed alcohol. Monastrell=Mourvedre
Vinturi - huge reduction sauce of a nose - brandy, spicy fig, prune, seared meat, licorice, fragrant wood and shoe polish. Also shows an incredibly deep damp earth aspect.
Wildly sweet and totally loaded in the mouth. Crazy density - the last thing you notice is alcohol. Tannin finally pulls this thing out of its lusciously sweet nose dive, finishing almost dry. Reminds me to some extent of PX solera stuff. Smells like it's been fortified, but tastes like a natural (dried fruit) sweet wine. Which it is, apparently. A dedicated wino could easily finish off a bottle of this on a Friday night.
$25/500mL. 16% listed alcohol. Monastrell=Mourvedre
Domaine la Tour Vieille, Banyuls (dessert wine) 2003
Red, evolved rim.
Vinturi - nose of brandied cherries, savory meat, dried/grilled herbs.
Moderately sweet, slightly cooked flavors of cherry and prune are a bit flat. Alcohol does provide nice lift, though, as does herb character. Very fine acid/tannin synergy sops up any excess sweetness in the finish - coating the front teeth in light chew. With air, fruit flavors get a pulse. This thing needs more time.
$25/500 mL Fortified Grenache from France, just NE of Barcelona. 15.5% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - nose of brandied cherries, savory meat, dried/grilled herbs.
Moderately sweet, slightly cooked flavors of cherry and prune are a bit flat. Alcohol does provide nice lift, though, as does herb character. Very fine acid/tannin synergy sops up any excess sweetness in the finish - coating the front teeth in light chew. With air, fruit flavors get a pulse. This thing needs more time.
$25/500 mL Fortified Grenache from France, just NE of Barcelona. 15.5% listed alcohol.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Failla "Phoenix Ranch" Syrah, Napa Valley 2007
Saturated purple.
Vinturi - low-toned nose shows more (suave) oak influence - toasted hazelnut, fig paste, earth, herbs/slight jalapeno.
Round and very sexy in the mouth, with moderate tannin (some stems) asserting itself slowly. Could drink a bunch of this right now. Sophisticated winemaking from raw materials that aren't quite up to the Griffin's Lair examples. Crap shoot as to which is "best". Drink them all. This is RFG, actually, showing late notes of blood orange, wilted herbs and pepper.
Day 4 - Refined, killer aromas of herbs, melted licorice, hazelnut. Still uber-sexy in the mouth, with significant, relatively fine tannin/acid synergy slowly creeping in. Still RFG.
$50. 14.9% listed alcohol. Ehren Jordan's (Turley/Neyers) own label.
Vinturi - low-toned nose shows more (suave) oak influence - toasted hazelnut, fig paste, earth, herbs/slight jalapeno.
Round and very sexy in the mouth, with moderate tannin (some stems) asserting itself slowly. Could drink a bunch of this right now. Sophisticated winemaking from raw materials that aren't quite up to the Griffin's Lair examples. Crap shoot as to which is "best". Drink them all. This is RFG, actually, showing late notes of blood orange, wilted herbs and pepper.
Day 4 - Refined, killer aromas of herbs, melted licorice, hazelnut. Still uber-sexy in the mouth, with significant, relatively fine tannin/acid synergy slowly creeping in. Still RFG.
$50. 14.9% listed alcohol. Ehren Jordan's (Turley/Neyers) own label.
Wind Gap "Griffin's Lair" Sonoma Coast 2007
Saturated purple/black.
Vinturi - savory meat stew, black raspberry, fig, licorice, hazelnut nose. Deep and pure.
White pepper note immediately in the mouth, with grainy structure also immediate. More intense than the '06 Pax, but lacks some flesh in comparison. Lots of vibrant flavor action in the mouth, taut. Quite bound up in the finish, thanks to strong acid/tannin synergy, with a lingering iodine flavor. No doubt this will be something to sit on for many years.
Day 4 - Still savory on the nose, though amorphous. Deep and plush, now, in the mouth. Raspberry, herbs then huge acid/tannin synergy whacks everything else out of the park. Iodine again shows late. Needs a long sleep in the cellar.
$50. 14.6% listed alcohol. Made by Pax Mahle, who also made the Pax '06. Both are killer, though quite different.
Vinturi - savory meat stew, black raspberry, fig, licorice, hazelnut nose. Deep and pure.
White pepper note immediately in the mouth, with grainy structure also immediate. More intense than the '06 Pax, but lacks some flesh in comparison. Lots of vibrant flavor action in the mouth, taut. Quite bound up in the finish, thanks to strong acid/tannin synergy, with a lingering iodine flavor. No doubt this will be something to sit on for many years.
Day 4 - Still savory on the nose, though amorphous. Deep and plush, now, in the mouth. Raspberry, herbs then huge acid/tannin synergy whacks everything else out of the park. Iodine again shows late. Needs a long sleep in the cellar.
$50. 14.6% listed alcohol. Made by Pax Mahle, who also made the Pax '06. Both are killer, though quite different.
Pax "Griffin's Lair" Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2006
Saturated purple/black.
Vinturi - extremely deep, savory nose - fig, licorice, A-1 steak sauce, grilled steak (appropriately) and earth/hazelnut.
Round, densely packed and mouth-filling, with Pax's typical grainy concentration/structure. Stem tannin is a bit aggressive at the moment, but black fruit and herb flavors ride through fairly easily. As usual, this is a killer bottle and one that will benefit from several years of cellaring. Shows a bit of heat.
Day 4 - earth/hazelnut front and center in the deep, loaded nose. Exceptionally deep and grainy in the mouth, with serious tannin cutting into the finish. Lacks refinement in comparison to Failla, but you have to love the balls out effort.
$55. 15.3% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - extremely deep, savory nose - fig, licorice, A-1 steak sauce, grilled steak (appropriately) and earth/hazelnut.
Round, densely packed and mouth-filling, with Pax's typical grainy concentration/structure. Stem tannin is a bit aggressive at the moment, but black fruit and herb flavors ride through fairly easily. As usual, this is a killer bottle and one that will benefit from several years of cellaring. Shows a bit of heat.
Day 4 - earth/hazelnut front and center in the deep, loaded nose. Exceptionally deep and grainy in the mouth, with serious tannin cutting into the finish. Lacks refinement in comparison to Failla, but you have to love the balls out effort.
$55. 15.3% listed alcohol.
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