Deep red/purple.
Cracked pepper, juniper, slightly meaty nose.
Medium-weight impression in the mouth, with lively flavors that mirror the nose. Acid-driven tannin coats the front teeth. Not a fleshy wine, but is quite intensely flavored. Long juniper/pepper finish.
Day 3 - Now showing the citrus (orange) character that I usually notice whenever I find a pepper component in a red wine. This is clearly superior to the 2002. Brighter, longer, more interesting.
$30
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Navarro Pinot Gris Mendocino Cty. 2004
Pale yellow/copper (skin contact?).
Fresh, cinnamon dusted apple. Also shows a bit of baked apple.
Vibrant apple and mineral character, with spice in background. Mineral chew reaches front teeth. Very good depth of fruit here, but definitely structured, fine and refreshing.
This is really tasty.
$20? (gift)
Fresh, cinnamon dusted apple. Also shows a bit of baked apple.
Vibrant apple and mineral character, with spice in background. Mineral chew reaches front teeth. Very good depth of fruit here, but definitely structured, fine and refreshing.
This is really tasty.
$20? (gift)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Copain "Arrowhead Mountain" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel 2004
Red.
Earth/underbrush, celery seed, root veg nose. Far better than it sounds. Reminds me a bit of the Gigondas tasted recently.
More Pinot-like in the mouth, very light touch, but quite intensely flavored. Red fruit with acid supporting unobtrusively. Almost sweet in the mouth but acid and light tannin (reaching front teeth) keep things in check, taut. Remarkable flavor length for a New World wine that is so light.
Senor Guthrie is good. 14.5% on the label.
$35?
Earth/underbrush, celery seed, root veg nose. Far better than it sounds. Reminds me a bit of the Gigondas tasted recently.
More Pinot-like in the mouth, very light touch, but quite intensely flavored. Red fruit with acid supporting unobtrusively. Almost sweet in the mouth but acid and light tannin (reaching front teeth) keep things in check, taut. Remarkable flavor length for a New World wine that is so light.
Senor Guthrie is good. 14.5% on the label.
$35?
Monday, July 2, 2007
FX Pichler Loibner Berg Riesling Smaragd 2002
Straw yellow.
White grape jelly, lemon/lime, with a suggestion of sweetness on the nose.
Deep and plush in the mouth, with ripe pear, lemon/lime citricity, and a mineral/stone chewiness that keeps (seemingly moderate) residual sugar in check. Very long, incessantly chewy finish.
Day 2 - As good as this is, there's a thrill factor missing here. Maybe I'm just used to FX Gruner Veltliner.
Day 5 - End of the bottle. Funny, thought this was toast, but poured some anyway. Still consistent with Day 1, but rules the whole mouth with citrus zest, poached and ripe pear, mineral chew and RS combining in a (great) crazy finish. So much for a lack of "thrill".
$60
White grape jelly, lemon/lime, with a suggestion of sweetness on the nose.
Deep and plush in the mouth, with ripe pear, lemon/lime citricity, and a mineral/stone chewiness that keeps (seemingly moderate) residual sugar in check. Very long, incessantly chewy finish.
Day 2 - As good as this is, there's a thrill factor missing here. Maybe I'm just used to FX Gruner Veltliner.
Day 5 - End of the bottle. Funny, thought this was toast, but poured some anyway. Still consistent with Day 1, but rules the whole mouth with citrus zest, poached and ripe pear, mineral chew and RS combining in a (great) crazy finish. So much for a lack of "thrill".
$60
Allegrini Amarone 1999
Deep red.
Deep nose showing more oak than the '98, but also purer, with truffle/chocolate/spice as nuances.
Very intense entry, flavors are more suave than the '98, but the alcohol seems more abrasive. Front teeth-coating structure.
Seems to lack some Amarone flair/earth. I've had a hard time with this stuff (3rd bottle over 2 year span).
It was the '96 and '97 bottlings that made me freak out. I'll have to dig out a '97 ...
Day 4 - Nose hasn't changed much, though you really need to look around to find Amarone truffle action. Sweeter entry than the '98, but not as broad in the mouth. Acidity seems higher, though tannin is finer. Overall impression is of greater structure and less "give" than the '98. Not as integrated as the '98.
$50
Deep nose showing more oak than the '98, but also purer, with truffle/chocolate/spice as nuances.
Very intense entry, flavors are more suave than the '98, but the alcohol seems more abrasive. Front teeth-coating structure.
Seems to lack some Amarone flair/earth. I've had a hard time with this stuff (3rd bottle over 2 year span).
It was the '96 and '97 bottlings that made me freak out. I'll have to dig out a '97 ...
Day 4 - Nose hasn't changed much, though you really need to look around to find Amarone truffle action. Sweeter entry than the '98, but not as broad in the mouth. Acidity seems higher, though tannin is finer. Overall impression is of greater structure and less "give" than the '98. Not as integrated as the '98.
$50
Allegrini Amarone 1998
Deep red.
Deep truffle, wife says nail polish, I'd say a bit of shoe polish. Then chocolate and plum/raspberry jam on the nose.
High-octane, spicy entry, plush and round. Slightly spiky in mid-palate, with dark cherry flavor bumping through to the chewy, slightly dis-jointed finish. Probably needs some air.
Day 4 - Nice, deep integrated nose. Very round, completely mouth-filling. Cherry/plum jam and truffle flavors are more successful riding through middle-palate. But still a bit abrasive with alcohol. Fine tannic structure coats the front teeth. This will be around for many more years.
$50
Deep truffle, wife says nail polish, I'd say a bit of shoe polish. Then chocolate and plum/raspberry jam on the nose.
High-octane, spicy entry, plush and round. Slightly spiky in mid-palate, with dark cherry flavor bumping through to the chewy, slightly dis-jointed finish. Probably needs some air.
Day 4 - Nice, deep integrated nose. Very round, completely mouth-filling. Cherry/plum jam and truffle flavors are more successful riding through middle-palate. But still a bit abrasive with alcohol. Fine tannic structure coats the front teeth. This will be around for many more years.
$50
Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2003
Deep purple/red.
Spice and clay, with candied blackberry aromas. Nice depth.
Deep and plush (for Barbera) with insistent acidity making its presence known. Nice flavor follow through to finish, with a nut character nuance becoming more prominent.
Not incredible, but very successful and tasty.
$25
Spice and clay, with candied blackberry aromas. Nice depth.
Deep and plush (for Barbera) with insistent acidity making its presence known. Nice flavor follow through to finish, with a nut character nuance becoming more prominent.
Not incredible, but very successful and tasty.
$25
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