Purple/red.
Deep clay/earth, spicy fig and hazelnut. Nothing gamy here.
Round and slightly sweet, texturally. Grainy tannin is a bit coarse and has an immediate impact. Good depth and flavor follow-through. I'd buy more to go with (what else) Canela's cassoulet in 2010-2013.
A very good (clean) example of basic Bandol. Cheap.
$20
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Walter Hansel "Cahill Lane Vyd" Pinot Noir RRV 2005
Light red.
Completely different aromatic impression here. Deep, suave, harmonious, lower-toned - savory meat, underbrush, brown spices, red cherry, earth .... People (myself included) like to yack about things "Burgundian". This is why we love Pinot.
Beautiful in the mouth too. Round, mouth-filling, weightless, with an unobtrusive acid core that frames it all. Long, delicious seamless, mildly tangy.
Not incredible in any specific category, but the whole just rocks.
Day 3 - Refined, yet utterly sensual ... I could go blind drinking this.
Day 4 - Funny - I wanted to try this with a Marcassin Pinot just to calibrate. This is a beautiful thing indeed, it just lacks the depth/concentration of the Marcassin 3 Sisters. On the other hand, this may be the key to its immediate sensuality.
Buy it : 707-525-3614. What a ridiculous value in beautiful Pinot.
$40
Completely different aromatic impression here. Deep, suave, harmonious, lower-toned - savory meat, underbrush, brown spices, red cherry, earth .... People (myself included) like to yack about things "Burgundian". This is why we love Pinot.
Beautiful in the mouth too. Round, mouth-filling, weightless, with an unobtrusive acid core that frames it all. Long, delicious seamless, mildly tangy.
Not incredible in any specific category, but the whole just rocks.
Day 3 - Refined, yet utterly sensual ... I could go blind drinking this.
Day 4 - Funny - I wanted to try this with a Marcassin Pinot just to calibrate. This is a beautiful thing indeed, it just lacks the depth/concentration of the Marcassin 3 Sisters. On the other hand, this may be the key to its immediate sensuality.
Buy it : 707-525-3614. What a ridiculous value in beautiful Pinot.
$40
Cono Sur "20 Barrels" Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley, Chile 2006
Deepish red.
Toasty oak reminds me of the Santa Rita "Triple C" tasted recently. Deep nose with meat and black cherry underneath.
Better integration with some aeration.
Sweet textural impression, with strongish acidity clamping down early. Confectionary cherry flavor rides through fairly well. This is dis-jointed, for no obvious reason. Another wine that seems "constructed". But it's not bad, and will appeal to those looking for more intense/structured Pinot. Particularly at the price.
Day 3 - Much better aromatic integration - black cherry/raspberry, toasted oak and, yet again, a sumptuous meat character. Huge, slightly sweet, fruit depth on the nose. Ditto in the mouth, but acid-driven structure reins everything in immediately. I still get the sense that this has been needlessly acidulated. Nevertheless, it is packed and full of flavor.
Day 7 - This is hideous. Wouldn't comment, but the drippings of the Panther and Rex Hill bottles are still killer. Stupid, formulaic crap here.
$25
Toasty oak reminds me of the Santa Rita "Triple C" tasted recently. Deep nose with meat and black cherry underneath.
Better integration with some aeration.
Sweet textural impression, with strongish acidity clamping down early. Confectionary cherry flavor rides through fairly well. This is dis-jointed, for no obvious reason. Another wine that seems "constructed". But it's not bad, and will appeal to those looking for more intense/structured Pinot. Particularly at the price.
Day 3 - Much better aromatic integration - black cherry/raspberry, toasted oak and, yet again, a sumptuous meat character. Huge, slightly sweet, fruit depth on the nose. Ditto in the mouth, but acid-driven structure reins everything in immediately. I still get the sense that this has been needlessly acidulated. Nevertheless, it is packed and full of flavor.
Day 7 - This is hideous. Wouldn't comment, but the drippings of the Panther and Rex Hill bottles are still killer. Stupid, formulaic crap here.
$25
Rex Hill "Reserve" Pinot Noir Oregon 2004
Pale red.
Wonderful stem-inclusion aromas of garrigue, cinnamon and something floral. Savory meat and sauteed onion too.
Round and completely mouth-filling, but not sweet, as stem-derived, chewy, structure revs up on the mid-palate. But, like the Panther Creek, flavors ride through it all. Long finish here too, but stem spice/herbs predominate. Give this another 3-4 years also.
Very interesting contrast in structured Oregon Pinot. Panther seemingly more extracted (sans stems) and oak-influenced, this lighter, but stem-powered.
Day 3 - Open, expansive nose hasn't changed much. Beautiful. Showing some sweetness in the mouth now. Stem chew hits much later and more lightly. More tang on the finish, very long.
Day 5 - Cinnamon/garrigue/savory meat aromatic cadence now. Red raspberry emerges, finally. Even-keeled throughout. Superlative winemaking here. Stunningly good.
Buy it : 1-800-Rex-Hill
Gift - $45?
Wonderful stem-inclusion aromas of garrigue, cinnamon and something floral. Savory meat and sauteed onion too.
Round and completely mouth-filling, but not sweet, as stem-derived, chewy, structure revs up on the mid-palate. But, like the Panther Creek, flavors ride through it all. Long finish here too, but stem spice/herbs predominate. Give this another 3-4 years also.
Very interesting contrast in structured Oregon Pinot. Panther seemingly more extracted (sans stems) and oak-influenced, this lighter, but stem-powered.
Day 3 - Open, expansive nose hasn't changed much. Beautiful. Showing some sweetness in the mouth now. Stem chew hits much later and more lightly. More tang on the finish, very long.
Day 5 - Cinnamon/garrigue/savory meat aromatic cadence now. Red raspberry emerges, finally. Even-keeled throughout. Superlative winemaking here. Stunningly good.
Buy it : 1-800-Rex-Hill
Gift - $45?
Panther Creek, Shea Vyd, Pinot Noir 2004
Red.
Suave oak smoke/toasted nut, red cherry and a hint of underbrush on the nose.
Round, seamless with a textural sweetness. Very good red cherry fruit driving through the mid-palate. Acidity kicks in a bit on the finish to keep things fresh. There's a saline nuance too. Very long and tangy. Interesting stuff. Needs 3-4 years.
Day 3 - More savory, integrated nose now. Cherry fruit is packed, with fresh oregano making an appearance in the mouth. Saline action still there. Maybe there is a touch of stem influence here? Structure is significant for New World Pinot - I'm guessing extended maceration and no stems.
Very cool action.
Day 5 - Definitely not influenced by stems. Saline character front and center on the nose, with a meaty/black cherry jam underpinning. Plush, saline and packed in the mouth. Huge mid-palate fruit flesh, with moderate tannin finishing structure coating the front teeth
.
What a great study in Pinot styles.
Buy this too: panthercreekcellars.com
Gift $45?
Suave oak smoke/toasted nut, red cherry and a hint of underbrush on the nose.
Round, seamless with a textural sweetness. Very good red cherry fruit driving through the mid-palate. Acidity kicks in a bit on the finish to keep things fresh. There's a saline nuance too. Very long and tangy. Interesting stuff. Needs 3-4 years.
Day 3 - More savory, integrated nose now. Cherry fruit is packed, with fresh oregano making an appearance in the mouth. Saline action still there. Maybe there is a touch of stem influence here? Structure is significant for New World Pinot - I'm guessing extended maceration and no stems.
Very cool action.
Day 5 - Definitely not influenced by stems. Saline character front and center on the nose, with a meaty/black cherry jam underpinning. Plush, saline and packed in the mouth. Huge mid-palate fruit flesh, with moderate tannin finishing structure coating the front teeth
.
What a great study in Pinot styles.
Buy this too: panthercreekcellars.com
Gift $45?
Friday, February 1, 2008
Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch 2004
Deep red.
Lifted, fresh red pepper herbaceous note, blackcurrant underneath. Smoked sausage nuance too.
Round and slightly sweet in the mouth, expansive. Strong acidity intrudes a bit in the finish. A "mineral" and smoked sausage also. It would be interesting to know what cooperage is used here.
Interesting.
Day 4 - Everything integrated now. Toasted nut, herbs, blackcurrant - this smells like Bordeaux (w/o a slathering of toasty new oak). Middle-weight feel, tight in the mid-palate, but flavor sails through. Two tracks. Has years of good drinking ahead of it.
Killer deal - buy it.
$25
Lifted, fresh red pepper herbaceous note, blackcurrant underneath. Smoked sausage nuance too.
Round and slightly sweet in the mouth, expansive. Strong acidity intrudes a bit in the finish. A "mineral" and smoked sausage also. It would be interesting to know what cooperage is used here.
Interesting.
Day 4 - Everything integrated now. Toasted nut, herbs, blackcurrant - this smells like Bordeaux (w/o a slathering of toasty new oak). Middle-weight feel, tight in the mid-palate, but flavor sails through. Two tracks. Has years of good drinking ahead of it.
Killer deal - buy it.
$25
Corison Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2002
Deep red.
Damp earth, A1 steak sauce/grilled meat, and a confectionary suggestion of dried fig/date.
Round, suave, middle-weight impression. Acidity is fairly strong, but not crazy. Mid-palate flesh fends off solid structural spine running start to finish. Very nicely balanced, harmonious, satisfying wine.
Day 4 - This smells more like a Spanish Monastrell. But deep and rich nonetheless. Really round and packed, with a bit of a confectionary feel. Again - I'd never guess Cabernet here - but who cares. Packed, deep and long. And only 13.6% alcohol.
$45
Damp earth, A1 steak sauce/grilled meat, and a confectionary suggestion of dried fig/date.
Round, suave, middle-weight impression. Acidity is fairly strong, but not crazy. Mid-palate flesh fends off solid structural spine running start to finish. Very nicely balanced, harmonious, satisfying wine.
Day 4 - This smells more like a Spanish Monastrell. But deep and rich nonetheless. Really round and packed, with a bit of a confectionary feel. Again - I'd never guess Cabernet here - but who cares. Packed, deep and long. And only 13.6% alcohol.
$45
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