Purple/red.
Suave, toasty oak-influenced nose. Herbs, raspberry and clay/earth underneath.
Creamy entry, with everything in place/harmonious. Beautiful integration of every aspect of the wine. Acidity slightly high, but will age very well. Not at all a powerhouse.
Wonderful example of a "modern" Rioja.
$40
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Las Rocas Garnacha, Catalayud (Spain) 2005
Bright red.
Vibrant red fruit (cran/raspberry) and citrus nose, with garrigue and spice underneath.
Flavors follow nose, with nice textural sweetness framed by fairly strong acidity. Flavors flow through unimpeded, however.
Delicious stuff.
Synthetic cork - drink over the next year.
$10
Vibrant red fruit (cran/raspberry) and citrus nose, with garrigue and spice underneath.
Flavors follow nose, with nice textural sweetness framed by fairly strong acidity. Flavors flow through unimpeded, however.
Delicious stuff.
Synthetic cork - drink over the next year.
$10
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Thackrey Sirius (Petite Sirah) Eaglepoint Ranch 2004
Opaque purple/red.
Lifted, vibrant nose of blackberry, eucalyptus and a hint of pepper.
Almost sweet and confectionary in the mouth (this was opened yesterday), with fresh, pure blackberry and eucalyptus flavors.
A decent bit of tannin here, but remarkably refined, particularly for PS.
$50
Lifted, vibrant nose of blackberry, eucalyptus and a hint of pepper.
Almost sweet and confectionary in the mouth (this was opened yesterday), with fresh, pure blackberry and eucalyptus flavors.
A decent bit of tannin here, but remarkably refined, particularly for PS.
$50
Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Origines" 2000
Deep red.
Smoke, seared meat, earth and tomato aromatics.
Round, plush, mouth-filling entry immediately tempered by grainy, both sides of the teeth, tannin. Still a bit bound up, but flavor rides through the mid-palate reasonably well. Not a great deal of fruit to work with here - it will be interesting to see how this responds to air.
$25
Smoke, seared meat, earth and tomato aromatics.
Round, plush, mouth-filling entry immediately tempered by grainy, both sides of the teeth, tannin. Still a bit bound up, but flavor rides through the mid-palate reasonably well. Not a great deal of fruit to work with here - it will be interesting to see how this responds to air.
$25
Pax Syrah Lauterbach Hill RRV 2005
Deep red/purple.
Menthol, melted licorice, olive and sausage aromatics. "Thick" nose.
Great density in the mouth, grainy tannin, alcohol lowish. Nice breadth of flavor and framing acidity. This needs time to express, but everything seems to be in place for a positive cellar journey. Blackberry finish.
$50
Menthol, melted licorice, olive and sausage aromatics. "Thick" nose.
Great density in the mouth, grainy tannin, alcohol lowish. Nice breadth of flavor and framing acidity. This needs time to express, but everything seems to be in place for a positive cellar journey. Blackberry finish.
$50
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Copain Cailloux & Coccinelle Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2003
Deep, hazy red.
Breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean?), licorice, menthol, wilted greens on the nose - this should be served with eggs and a tortilla.
Absolutely packed with flavor in the mouth - black raspberry the only addition from what the nose yields. Great sweetness that flies under the radar, the main impression is one of tremendous, grainy, concentration of flavor. In fact, this is very similar to the impression of the Bastide Blanche of a couple of days ago.
This is stupidly good, and so not "New-World". I would love to throw this in a blind tasting of Northern Rhones. The "experts"
would eat major dookie.
$35
Breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean?), licorice, menthol, wilted greens on the nose - this should be served with eggs and a tortilla.
Absolutely packed with flavor in the mouth - black raspberry the only addition from what the nose yields. Great sweetness that flies under the radar, the main impression is one of tremendous, grainy, concentration of flavor. In fact, this is very similar to the impression of the Bastide Blanche of a couple of days ago.
This is stupidly good, and so not "New-World". I would love to throw this in a blind tasting of Northern Rhones. The "experts"
would eat major dookie.
$35
Ridge, Lytton Springs 2002
Deep red/purple.
Deep, shoe polish, black raspberry jam, earth and pungent spice aromatics. Once again, an old-vine Zin that reminds me a bit of Priorat, albeit a slightly baked version.
Round, sweet textural entry, with structure going largely unnoticed at the mouth's periphery. Pools of black raspberry jam and spice flavors that sound acidity and moderate tannin keep in check. Even a suggestion of minerality. This is really good action.
$28
Deep, shoe polish, black raspberry jam, earth and pungent spice aromatics. Once again, an old-vine Zin that reminds me a bit of Priorat, albeit a slightly baked version.
Round, sweet textural entry, with structure going largely unnoticed at the mouth's periphery. Pools of black raspberry jam and spice flavors that sound acidity and moderate tannin keep in check. Even a suggestion of minerality. This is really good action.
$28
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