Purple/black.
Creosote and darkest of black fruits nose. This had a very Shiraz-like, creamy black fruit nose a couple of years ago.
Round and completely packed in the mouth. Here the saline impression has more to do with crazy concentration. Licorice, popcorn (indeed) and black fruit flavors ride through plush mid-palate. An almost mineral structure tightens the finish. This has really gotten interesting in the bottle. Not a fruit-bomb anymore.
Day 4 - Little aromatic change. I must admit, I can't believe this is Petit Verdot. But production techniques could account for this.
Aged in neutral barrels.
$25, screwcap
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Craneford, Petit Verdot, Barossa Valley 2002
Deep red/purple.
Deep black fruit, garrigue, salami and nut aromas.
Round and plush (amazingly), with a slight saline edge. Very easy flow through the mid-palate. Not particularly complex in the mouth, or deep, but suave and satisfying. No overt signs of oak.
Day 4 - Hard grape candy, cinnamon new aromatic additions. Not sure why I thought this wasn't deep on day 1 - it is - quite.
Loaded with powdery tannin on the long, saline/salami finish.
$25 on release
Deep black fruit, garrigue, salami and nut aromas.
Round and plush (amazingly), with a slight saline edge. Very easy flow through the mid-palate. Not particularly complex in the mouth, or deep, but suave and satisfying. No overt signs of oak.
Day 4 - Hard grape candy, cinnamon new aromatic additions. Not sure why I thought this wasn't deep on day 1 - it is - quite.
Loaded with powdery tannin on the long, saline/salami finish.
$25 on release
Friday, July 4, 2008
Pax, Syrah "Kobler" (Green Valley) Russian River Valley 2006
Black/purple.
Deep, saucy nose - black fruit/Fig Newton, green chili (indeed), grilled meat and oak spice/earth. Cracked black pepper with air.
Intense, light-weight impression in the mouth - citrus(?), stem chew ... Pretty bound up at the moment. No sweetness here - serious stuff. Long citrus and green chili flavor ride along with monster structure.
Love it or leave it.
Day 3 - Licorice and graham cracker aromas over blackberry pie filling. Intense with typical, grainy, Pax concentration in the mouth. Green character subdued now. Citrus chew hits later, coating the front teeth. I look forward to drinking this over the next 6-10 years.
$60 (97% Syrah, 3% Viognier). 13.5% alcohol.
Deep, saucy nose - black fruit/Fig Newton, green chili (indeed), grilled meat and oak spice/earth. Cracked black pepper with air.
Intense, light-weight impression in the mouth - citrus(?), stem chew ... Pretty bound up at the moment. No sweetness here - serious stuff. Long citrus and green chili flavor ride along with monster structure.
Love it or leave it.
Day 3 - Licorice and graham cracker aromas over blackberry pie filling. Intense with typical, grainy, Pax concentration in the mouth. Green character subdued now. Citrus chew hits later, coating the front teeth. I look forward to drinking this over the next 6-10 years.
$60 (97% Syrah, 3% Viognier). 13.5% alcohol.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Saxum "James Berry Vineyard" Paso Robles 2005
Purple.
Complicated nose - grilled meat, truffle/sulfide, cherry jam - now this works wonders for me. Great depth.
Round, mouth-filling with only a hint of sweetness. Serious acid spine creeps up without overwhelming the flavors of deep cherry jam, oak spice and mineral chew that coats the front teeth. Alcohol is not much of a factor here. Will this get better in the bottle? Maybe.
Day 3 - Still rocks. Deep, but not at all heavy. Alcohol peaks out a bit more tonight... Funny - my first inclination is to compare this to the Pegau, not a northern Rhone.
$50 - 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache.
Complicated nose - grilled meat, truffle/sulfide, cherry jam - now this works wonders for me. Great depth.
Round, mouth-filling with only a hint of sweetness. Serious acid spine creeps up without overwhelming the flavors of deep cherry jam, oak spice and mineral chew that coats the front teeth. Alcohol is not much of a factor here. Will this get better in the bottle? Maybe.
Day 3 - Still rocks. Deep, but not at all heavy. Alcohol peaks out a bit more tonight... Funny - my first inclination is to compare this to the Pegau, not a northern Rhone.
$50 - 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Two Hands "Bad Impersonator" Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2003
Purple/red.
Deep, saucy nose - dried fig, suggestion of VA and oak spice/nut. Black raspberry jam late.
Round, saline and a bit sweet/sour (VA) in the mouth. Very deep, but also something of a freak show. Similar to a bottle I opened 2-3 years ago.
I can't enjoy this. Unfortunately living up to its name.
$35
Deep, saucy nose - dried fig, suggestion of VA and oak spice/nut. Black raspberry jam late.
Round, saline and a bit sweet/sour (VA) in the mouth. Very deep, but also something of a freak show. Similar to a bottle I opened 2-3 years ago.
I can't enjoy this. Unfortunately living up to its name.
$35
Pegau, Chateauneuf du Pape 2004
Deep red.
Delineated, wild nose is difficult to express - blood/iron, grilled herbs, toasted nuts, savory meat, cherry jam, spices that seem to be from new oak (don't think they use any), spicy ketchup. Yes, this rocks.
Round, with a spicy/herb/tomato edge that keeps everything tight. Intense, deep and fleshy, but also simultaneously quite structured, even a bit rustic, and chewy. Huge acid/(stem) tannin structure in the finish amazingly does not kill spicy herb/tomato finish.
This needs lamb in the worst way.
Day 2 - Just ridiculous. Full-bore CdP that is hardly easy, but totally killer. Now this style is one you will absolutely NOT find anywhere else.
Day 4 - Cherry jam and truffle nose, you can smell the saucy density (Amarone-esque). Vibrant, pristine note of rosemary in the finish, which is still chewy/rustic and long. For some reason I finally remembered that Eddie Feraud (see below) and Paul Feraud (Pegau's owner) are related. Cousins, I think. And there is a similarity in the wines too.
$50
Delineated, wild nose is difficult to express - blood/iron, grilled herbs, toasted nuts, savory meat, cherry jam, spices that seem to be from new oak (don't think they use any), spicy ketchup. Yes, this rocks.
Round, with a spicy/herb/tomato edge that keeps everything tight. Intense, deep and fleshy, but also simultaneously quite structured, even a bit rustic, and chewy. Huge acid/(stem) tannin structure in the finish amazingly does not kill spicy herb/tomato finish.
This needs lamb in the worst way.
Day 2 - Just ridiculous. Full-bore CdP that is hardly easy, but totally killer. Now this style is one you will absolutely NOT find anywhere else.
Day 4 - Cherry jam and truffle nose, you can smell the saucy density (Amarone-esque). Vibrant, pristine note of rosemary in the finish, which is still chewy/rustic and long. For some reason I finally remembered that Eddie Feraud (see below) and Paul Feraud (Pegau's owner) are related. Cousins, I think. And there is a similarity in the wines too.
$50
Vacheron, Sancerre 2007
Platinum.
Slightly pungent nose of fresh herbs, nut paste and "minerals". Discreet and fine. Ripe pear late.
Round, with a suggestion of sweetness made quite juicy by good acidity. Pear flavor with fresh herbs on the side. Minerally acidity frames everything, coating the front teeth. Very finely rendered. Long, chewy, mineral and herb finish.
PFG.
$30
Slightly pungent nose of fresh herbs, nut paste and "minerals". Discreet and fine. Ripe pear late.
Round, with a suggestion of sweetness made quite juicy by good acidity. Pear flavor with fresh herbs on the side. Minerally acidity frames everything, coating the front teeth. Very finely rendered. Long, chewy, mineral and herb finish.
PFG.
$30
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