Opaque purple.
Vinturi - huge pool of blackberry fruit. Bright, lifted, but one thing. Decent bit of banana still showing.
Firm, intense, lifted - just like claims of your special workout. But this works on the psyche too, which saves $$$. This rocks, but a long cellaring is in order.
$50
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Pegau, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2003
Saturated red.
Vinturi - iron, cherry liqueur, garrigue. Not wildly expressive, but deep.
Definitely shut down since my last bottle - one of the best I've ever had. Something to get all religious over...Needs air and a sympathetic audience (at this point).
$65
Vinturi - iron, cherry liqueur, garrigue. Not wildly expressive, but deep.
Definitely shut down since my last bottle - one of the best I've ever had. Something to get all religious over...Needs air and a sympathetic audience (at this point).
$65
Domaine de Vallouit "Les Greffieres" Hermitage 1999
Saturated red,
Vinturi - integrated, sumptuous nose of woodsmoke, wilted greens, smoked sausage. Deep, classic N. Rhone Syrah.
Deep and relatively "easy" in the mouth, broad and giving. Which is, for me, unusual. Great mid-palate flesh. Killer stuff. Domaine now owned by Guigal. Good thing? Probably. But diversity is a certain loser.
$70
Vinturi - integrated, sumptuous nose of woodsmoke, wilted greens, smoked sausage. Deep, classic N. Rhone Syrah.
Deep and relatively "easy" in the mouth, broad and giving. Which is, for me, unusual. Great mid-palate flesh. Killer stuff. Domaine now owned by Guigal. Good thing? Probably. But diversity is a certain loser.
$70
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tablas Creek, Mourvedre, Paso Robles 2007
Saturated red.
Vinturi - black cherry, blackberry, forest/tree bark/hazelnut, iron/medicinal, licorice nose combines the best of the new and old world.
Round and plush, particularly for Mourvedre, with excellent mid-palate flesh. Acid/tannin synergy eventually whittles everything into shape, but does not shut down the mouth. Loads of black fruit and clean earth flavors. Killer. Even better with 3-6 years of cellaring, conservatively speaking.
$30. 2007 was apparently a great vintage all over CA. No argument here.
Vinturi - black cherry, blackberry, forest/tree bark/hazelnut, iron/medicinal, licorice nose combines the best of the new and old world.
Round and plush, particularly for Mourvedre, with excellent mid-palate flesh. Acid/tannin synergy eventually whittles everything into shape, but does not shut down the mouth. Loads of black fruit and clean earth flavors. Killer. Even better with 3-6 years of cellaring, conservatively speaking.
$30. 2007 was apparently a great vintage all over CA. No argument here.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Koehler, Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley 2005
Opaque purple.
Vinturi - deep black fruit (date/fig), Asian spices, fresh herb and earth nose. Loaded and deep.
Round and intense simultaneously. Great mid-palate flesh immediately buffered by strong acid-driven tannin that hit the front teeth. Great tension. Even a mineral-like character. All the while a core of black fruit and spice flavors flow through. RFG, particularly at this stupid price.
$25.
Vinturi - deep black fruit (date/fig), Asian spices, fresh herb and earth nose. Loaded and deep.
Round and intense simultaneously. Great mid-palate flesh immediately buffered by strong acid-driven tannin that hit the front teeth. Great tension. Even a mineral-like character. All the while a core of black fruit and spice flavors flow through. RFG, particularly at this stupid price.
$25.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Beaux Freres "Upper Terrace" Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge (Oregon) 2007
Slightly evolved, deep red.
Attractive, integrated nose of forest floor/herbs, red cherry, suave oak spice.
Round, sexy, mouth-filling stuff. Just enough of an acid/light tannin edge to frame it. Very Pinot, and not something that stands out as New World. Perfumed red fruit and herbs (slight jalapeno) in the mouth. RGS. Could drink a ton of this. Structure strengthens with air (some residual CO2 also). Great ringer in a Burgundy tasting.
$75? Gift from the Padres.
Attractive, integrated nose of forest floor/herbs, red cherry, suave oak spice.
Round, sexy, mouth-filling stuff. Just enough of an acid/light tannin edge to frame it. Very Pinot, and not something that stands out as New World. Perfumed red fruit and herbs (slight jalapeno) in the mouth. RGS. Could drink a ton of this. Structure strengthens with air (some residual CO2 also). Great ringer in a Burgundy tasting.
$75? Gift from the Padres.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Achaval Ferrer "Quimera" Mendoza 2007
Saturated purple.
Vinturi - fresh black raspberry, deep earth, hazelnut, oak spice, shoe polish nose.
Reasonably round, with nice textural sweetness. Again, this is well-buffered by strongish acid/tannin synergy. Focused, gutsy stuff that shows perfumed black fruit in the mouth. Also will benefit from several more years in the cellar and will probably drink very well for another 10 years or more. Lots of material here.
$30. 38% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc.
Vinturi - fresh black raspberry, deep earth, hazelnut, oak spice, shoe polish nose.
Reasonably round, with nice textural sweetness. Again, this is well-buffered by strongish acid/tannin synergy. Focused, gutsy stuff that shows perfumed black fruit in the mouth. Also will benefit from several more years in the cellar and will probably drink very well for another 10 years or more. Lots of material here.
$30. 38% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc.
Achaval Ferrer "Quimera" Mendoza 2005
Opaque purple.
Vinturi - extremely dense, loaded nose - undifferentiated black fruit, clay/earth, oak spice, dark chocolate.
Middle-weight feel, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy reining everything in from the get go. Not yet expressive in the mouth, but shows nice mid-palate flesh and strong blackberry fruit. Needs time.
$27. 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc.
Vinturi - extremely dense, loaded nose - undifferentiated black fruit, clay/earth, oak spice, dark chocolate.
Middle-weight feel, with fairly strong acid/tannin synergy reining everything in from the get go. Not yet expressive in the mouth, but shows nice mid-palate flesh and strong blackberry fruit. Needs time.
$27. 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Troplong Mondot, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2001
Saturated purple.
Charcoal/smoke/oak spice/black raspberry/licorice/earth nose is compact and dense.
Extremely deep, loaded, fleshy, feel. Huge tannic clout kicks in on the finish, where this picks up a tidal/saline character (needs air in the worst way/built for a very long evolution in the bottle). This is totally FK and will get better for decades in a good cellar. This is another example of why Bordeaux is still relevant. A bottle of '00 La Louviere Graves at the Mueller's was another beautiful example.
$50.
Charcoal/smoke/oak spice/black raspberry/licorice/earth nose is compact and dense.
Extremely deep, loaded, fleshy, feel. Huge tannic clout kicks in on the finish, where this picks up a tidal/saline character (needs air in the worst way/built for a very long evolution in the bottle). This is totally FK and will get better for decades in a good cellar. This is another example of why Bordeaux is still relevant. A bottle of '00 La Louviere Graves at the Mueller's was another beautiful example.
$50.
Lincourt, Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley 2007
Red/purple.
Citrus zest, white pepper, black raspberry sauce and earth nose. Refined. Aromatic notes reverse with air.
Wonderful textural fullness/sweetness. Acid-driven structure adds firmness but does not kill flavor flow. Nice length. Extremely attractive CA Syrah.
Gift - $30?
Citrus zest, white pepper, black raspberry sauce and earth nose. Refined. Aromatic notes reverse with air.
Wonderful textural fullness/sweetness. Acid-driven structure adds firmness but does not kill flavor flow. Nice length. Extremely attractive CA Syrah.
Gift - $30?
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Thackrey "Orion" Rossi Vyd., St. Helena 2000
Saturated purple/red.
Vinturi - great, integrated, nose runs the whole court - subdued mint, grilled meat, blackberry, oak smoke, earth, hazelnut.
Intense, middle-weight feel. Center-packed, but this has nice textural "give". Wilted mint and earth flavors dominate. Acid-driven tannin builds in the finish. Needs several more years in the bottle. Far better tomorrow and the day after..
$75. Syrah/Petite Sirah - who knows. Old vineyard. 100% new Sirugue Burgundy barrels barely show.
Vinturi - great, integrated, nose runs the whole court - subdued mint, grilled meat, blackberry, oak smoke, earth, hazelnut.
Intense, middle-weight feel. Center-packed, but this has nice textural "give". Wilted mint and earth flavors dominate. Acid-driven tannin builds in the finish. Needs several more years in the bottle. Far better tomorrow and the day after..
$75. Syrah/Petite Sirah - who knows. Old vineyard. 100% new Sirugue Burgundy barrels barely show.
Saxum "Rocket Block" Paso Robles 2003
Saturated red/purple.
Vinturi - deep, saucy, nose with nice oak spice lift - black raspberry/earth/shoe polish.
Dense with a textural sweetness that is well-buffered by moderate acid/tannin synergy. Undertone of fresh peppermint. Alcohol (16.6%) barely noticed. Loaded, but is also refined, though not particularly complex. Whatever, I could sit and drink a bunch of this. RFG.
$75. 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah.
Vinturi - deep, saucy, nose with nice oak spice lift - black raspberry/earth/shoe polish.
Dense with a textural sweetness that is well-buffered by moderate acid/tannin synergy. Undertone of fresh peppermint. Alcohol (16.6%) barely noticed. Loaded, but is also refined, though not particularly complex. Whatever, I could sit and drink a bunch of this. RFG.
$75. 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Chave, Hermitage 1997
Red.
Vinturi - fragrant, refined nose - woodsmoke, wilted herb, breakfast sausage, raspberry and menthol. Subtle and RFG.
Round, seamless, middle-weight. Sneaky acidity lifts and brightens. Herbs, sausage and raspberry flavors are also subtle and have deceptive length. '97 was hardly a great vintage, but this is beautiful stuff.
$50. 13% listed alcohol.
Vinturi - fragrant, refined nose - woodsmoke, wilted herb, breakfast sausage, raspberry and menthol. Subtle and RFG.
Round, seamless, middle-weight. Sneaky acidity lifts and brightens. Herbs, sausage and raspberry flavors are also subtle and have deceptive length. '97 was hardly a great vintage, but this is beautiful stuff.
$50. 13% listed alcohol.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero 1999
Deep red.
Vinturi - great, integrated, sumptuous nose of myriad oak spices, raspberry coulis, toasted nut, earth and fresh herbs.
Round and dense, with earth, raspberry and fragrant wood (balsam, redwood) and herb flavors. Iron, too, later. Intense, relatively lean and focused in the finish. Many years still to go here. This rocks.
$28. I think this is roughly 70% Tempranillo and the balance Cabernet and Merlot. Made by Peter Sisseck.
Vinturi - great, integrated, sumptuous nose of myriad oak spices, raspberry coulis, toasted nut, earth and fresh herbs.
Round and dense, with earth, raspberry and fragrant wood (balsam, redwood) and herb flavors. Iron, too, later. Intense, relatively lean and focused in the finish. Many years still to go here. This rocks.
$28. I think this is roughly 70% Tempranillo and the balance Cabernet and Merlot. Made by Peter Sisseck.
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