Deep purple.
Dense nose of cheese (indeed), wilted herbs, spice, black olive and licorice.
Very dense in the mouth, despite a light/middle-weight feel. Grainy/chewy loaded impression in the mouth - reminds me of a
Pax Syrah. Just in alcohol. All licorice in the front teeth-coating finish.
Opened yesterday. Fresher and more delineated then.
$25
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Clos Marie "Les Glorieuses" Pic St. Loup (Languedoc) 2004
Purple/red.
Killer nose - cracked pepper, grilled herbs with suggestions of grilled meat, oak toast, potato. Raspberry underneath. This smells like a packed Cote Rotie.
Middle-weight in the mouth, and, again, this reminds me of a super-charged Cote Rotie. Pepper/garrigue/earth/deep raspberry flavors fight through substantial acid-enhanced tannin. No sweetness/fat here. This is loaded, chewy, with a saline density in the finish. Coats every tooth in the mouth with chewy herb action.
Not sure, but I think this is primarily Syrah. Structured, complex, age-worthy.
Day 4 - Still killer on the nose. Round with a N. Rhone-ish sour edge. Still reminds me of killer Cote Rotie. How is this possible in the Languedoc?
$75
Killer nose - cracked pepper, grilled herbs with suggestions of grilled meat, oak toast, potato. Raspberry underneath. This smells like a packed Cote Rotie.
Middle-weight in the mouth, and, again, this reminds me of a super-charged Cote Rotie. Pepper/garrigue/earth/deep raspberry flavors fight through substantial acid-enhanced tannin. No sweetness/fat here. This is loaded, chewy, with a saline density in the finish. Coats every tooth in the mouth with chewy herb action.
Not sure, but I think this is primarily Syrah. Structured, complex, age-worthy.
Day 4 - Still killer on the nose. Round with a N. Rhone-ish sour edge. Still reminds me of killer Cote Rotie. How is this possible in the Languedoc?
$75
Saxum "Bone Rock" James Berry Vyd., Paso Robles 2004
Deep purple.
Suave, smoky oak, toasted nut sauce, coconut and deep black fruit nose.
Round and quite sweet textural impression buffered by a seemingly balanced acid/tannin synergy which coats the front teeth in "chew". Very slight hint of alcohol, but nothing crazy, and no more than the Copain exhibited. This works. Deep, long and chewy. This also has great tension. Again, this has me thinking Priorat.
15.8% alcohol. Very different approaches to similar fruit, although this is 85% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 3% Grenache.
The Copain seems a bit tame tonight. We'll see ..
Day 4 - Deep and saucy/spicy. A bit abrasive too. Need to blend Copain and Saxum.
$55
Suave, smoky oak, toasted nut sauce, coconut and deep black fruit nose.
Round and quite sweet textural impression buffered by a seemingly balanced acid/tannin synergy which coats the front teeth in "chew". Very slight hint of alcohol, but nothing crazy, and no more than the Copain exhibited. This works. Deep, long and chewy. This also has great tension. Again, this has me thinking Priorat.
15.8% alcohol. Very different approaches to similar fruit, although this is 85% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 3% Grenache.
The Copain seems a bit tame tonight. We'll see ..
Day 4 - Deep and saucy/spicy. A bit abrasive too. Need to blend Copain and Saxum.
$55
Copain, Syrah, James Berry Vyd., Paso Robles 2004
Purple.
Blue and black fruit, pepper, oak spice and sausage on the nose. Under-stated, deep.
Round and moderately sweet, texturally. Raspberry, earth and spice flavors driven by fairly strong acidity. Flavors coast through, however. Nice tension. I think this will become more expressive in the mouth with bottle-age.
Day 4 - Deep, sausage, nut sauce, earth and pepper nose with black fruit pooled underneath. Structure has moderated considerably, allowing black and blue fruit to express fully. Undoubtedly very good wine, but I still miss the thrill factor from a great site. And I doubt that cellaring will deliver it either.
14.6% alcohol
$45
Blue and black fruit, pepper, oak spice and sausage on the nose. Under-stated, deep.
Round and moderately sweet, texturally. Raspberry, earth and spice flavors driven by fairly strong acidity. Flavors coast through, however. Nice tension. I think this will become more expressive in the mouth with bottle-age.
Day 4 - Deep, sausage, nut sauce, earth and pepper nose with black fruit pooled underneath. Structure has moderated considerably, allowing black and blue fruit to express fully. Undoubtedly very good wine, but I still miss the thrill factor from a great site. And I doubt that cellaring will deliver it either.
14.6% alcohol
$45
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Artadi "Pagos Viejos" Rioja 2005
Deep purple.
Clay/earth/nut paste/blackberry custard/oak spice nose. Deeper, but less precise than the 2004.
Huge in the mouth, coating everything with blackberry and spice flavors, with a sneaky citrus note appearing late. This could be mistaken very easily for Ribera del Duero or even Toro. Not complex, but loaded to the hilt. Almost certainly a result of a hotter vintage.
Day 3 - Brighter on the nose - mint and an incense note along with the rest of the gang from day 1. Deep black fruit in the mouth immediately crimped by slightly aggressive tannin. This definitely needs time.
Full-bore, but clearly less refined than the 2004.
$75
Clay/earth/nut paste/blackberry custard/oak spice nose. Deeper, but less precise than the 2004.
Huge in the mouth, coating everything with blackberry and spice flavors, with a sneaky citrus note appearing late. This could be mistaken very easily for Ribera del Duero or even Toro. Not complex, but loaded to the hilt. Almost certainly a result of a hotter vintage.
Day 3 - Brighter on the nose - mint and an incense note along with the rest of the gang from day 1. Deep black fruit in the mouth immediately crimped by slightly aggressive tannin. This definitely needs time.
Full-bore, but clearly less refined than the 2004.
$75
Artadi "Pagos Viejos" Rioja 2004
Purple.
Egg/custard/earth/clay/toasted nut/grilled meat/coconut aromatics. Deep black raspberry folded underneath.
Round with a slight textural sweetness in the mouth. Ripe, sweet fruit character allied with serious concentration and very fine, packed tannin. Suave, expressive and loaded. No question this needs several years in the bottle to show at its best, but not at all difficult to enjoy now (with real food).
Day 3 - Grilled oak integrated beautifully with black raspberry and earth aromas. Nothing out of place, suave, seamless. There's a mint note here, too. Seamless in the mouth, also, with plentiful fine tannin that does little to restrict flavor flow.
Getting serious citrus action in the very long, chewy finish.
$85, 100% old-vine Tempranillo.
Egg/custard/earth/clay/toasted nut/grilled meat/coconut aromatics. Deep black raspberry folded underneath.
Round with a slight textural sweetness in the mouth. Ripe, sweet fruit character allied with serious concentration and very fine, packed tannin. Suave, expressive and loaded. No question this needs several years in the bottle to show at its best, but not at all difficult to enjoy now (with real food).
Day 3 - Grilled oak integrated beautifully with black raspberry and earth aromas. Nothing out of place, suave, seamless. There's a mint note here, too. Seamless in the mouth, also, with plentiful fine tannin that does little to restrict flavor flow.
Getting serious citrus action in the very long, chewy finish.
$85, 100% old-vine Tempranillo.
Friday, June 6, 2008
La Spinetta "Pin" Monferrato Rosso 2005
Purple/red.
Tight-fisted aromas of deep black fruit (blackberry/prune), clay/earth and oak spice. Pristine, reticent.
Acid-driven black fruit, spice and mineral in the mouth, quite linear in expression (no fat). Intense black fruit and licorice flavors ride through the mid-palate. Not wildly concentrated, but well constructed..
Day 3 - Intense black fruit, earth, shoe polish and spice aromatics - not shy anymore. No doubt about the acid-fruit synergy here. Much more mid-palate flesh today. Very modern style, but it works for me.
$45 (Barbera/Nebbiolo)
Tight-fisted aromas of deep black fruit (blackberry/prune), clay/earth and oak spice. Pristine, reticent.
Acid-driven black fruit, spice and mineral in the mouth, quite linear in expression (no fat). Intense black fruit and licorice flavors ride through the mid-palate. Not wildly concentrated, but well constructed..
Day 3 - Intense black fruit, earth, shoe polish and spice aromatics - not shy anymore. No doubt about the acid-fruit synergy here. Much more mid-palate flesh today. Very modern style, but it works for me.
$45 (Barbera/Nebbiolo)
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